Emma Hohenstein - Clay Masks

During the first marking period in another class we built masks out of a pitiful sort of sculpy clay. I chose to take it a step further and used some of my own red clay to make a mask. I had never worked with clay in any other way that ceramics so molding it into a face was interesting. I decided I wanted to make more animated and human-like forms. Over three weeks I ended up with four new masks dried in brittle red clay. After that I left them with my uncle to be bisqued. That's where they are presently. When they're done I will paint them with acrylics. 
Each mask is completely different. The first is shaped like a porcelain baby doll. It has small lips that will be painted red, huge round cheeks that will be painted white and a smooth forehead. This mask was created to juxtapose my favourite mask - the old man. It has a sort of calm, simplicity to it's child like face where as the old man has a sad, heavy demeanor plastered across his face. 
There are two others, also meant to sort of pair. One is a fresh faced, eager, rebellious warrior and the other a passive, tired veteran. With these two the colour is important. Though it hasn't been added yet they will be very thick and smooth. The colours of the young man will will sharp reds and blues and yellows. The veteran will have grays and greens, a symbol of ld military work and such.
This process opened up a new world of clay to me. I had often been involved in pottery when I was younger but this was something I hadn't thought of. The idea of scultpure, for me, is t display an image or idea that doesn't fit in two dimensions. That requires a depth and texture. And that is exactly what I was trying to do with my masks. 

(pictures to be posted as soon as the masks are done in the kiln)