Sunday 11 August 2013

"Visions in Blue" part 1


So here she is at last! I wish I could post larger pictures so  the details and textures could be better seen. Also the subtleties and complexities of the colours are a little lost, but that's my camera I'm afraid. Me and Chris will be doing a photo shoot of her together as soon as we can make the time :)

  Visions in Blue

 
 
I still remember the first time I heard the Ultravox track "Visions in Blue", I was so struck by the wonderful imagery conjured up by the very beautiful and evocative lyrics, and the gorgeously lush and haunting music. I have wanted for many years now to create a mask capturing the thoughts and feelings that this track inspires, but have never been able to do it, she just always seemed to remain very elusive. I think I needed those years to come to understand that rich tapestry of sadness, fear, lost loves, disappointment and self-doubt.,that intertwine with the joys, love, beauty, wonder and delight  that make a life what it is. All combine to create the bitter-sweet pleasure of memories. Near the end of last year everything just seem to come together at last for this mask, ideas came thick and fast and I realised that I was actually finally going to be able to make her !!!
 
 


From the beginning I never intended for her to be a  literal interpretation of the lyrics of the song. She was more about how the song made me feel personally and she has in fact turned out to be  probably the most intensely personal mask I've ever far.  Everything within the design of the mask does have a meaning, nothing is just, well, purely for decoration as it were. Really the whole piece is about memories about fragility, loss and the passing of time. I wanted her to have an almost ethereal, dreamlike quality. As the nature of memory is itself.  The imagery I've used, spider's web, moths, dog roses, pearls etc is all symbolic. I had intended to delve into the symbolism a bit here but now I'm not so sure if it's useful to sort of dissect her. Perhaps it is just better to let the piece speak for herself .
 



Although she is a piece that perhaps is inherently sad I had such pleasure creating her. She's one of the most intense masks I've ever worked on and she is also a mask that I'm very proud of. That is a rarity for me, because usually once a piece is finished and the usual excitement is over I just tend to see only the faults of the piece and what I feel I should have done differently. But not so with her, she is as she should be and that makes me very happy that I could justice to such a profound and beautiful piece of music :)






 
 
 
 
 

Mask: Paper, wire, string, Kozo fibre, paper clay, glass beads, faux pearl trim,  acrylic paints, crackle-glaze.
Moths: Model Magic,  mulberry tissue, wire, acrylic paint.
 
If you are interested in discovering more about the actual making of this mask, then please just click on the links below and take a look at  my previous posts which give a little more insight:)
 
EDIT : A number of people have asked if I will be offering this mask for sale. I will be, but I'm really hoping to be able to do something rather special with her. Keeping everything crossed that I can put my plan into action! Watch this space, is all I can really say for the time being.
 

2 comments:

  1. Ilove visions in blue!! what a wonderful and spectacular mask , didn't imagine the moths and butterflies would end up like this,very delicate it's really beautiful this way ,and the little pearls !
    can't wait to see your photo session !!!it took you months to complete but you did it,and you did it well , so next step ; the story telling .... :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So pleased you like her dearest :))) I know she seemed to take an age to make but I'm really happy with her and I don't often say that..lol ;)) Making her taught me an awful lot I've learnt great new ways of doing things, she's opened the doorway to so many mask-making possibilities!! So as you say on with the Story Teller mask and all the ideas that holds, I can't wait! It's an exciting time :)

      Delete