Thursday, January 14, 2010

Who's afraid of the big bad mask?

One of my favorite stops among the Whiskey Row shops is the Sun West Gallery. Not for Cap-A Art, but for interesting folk arts, primarily from countries south of our border. In addition to colorful Zapotec rugs and assorted carved critters, the gallery also features many masks.

I don't know that I'd like to wake up in the middle of the night to see most of the creatures that are depicted. On the other hand, if the scary faces are confined to the computer screen (which I don't see in the middle of the night), all is A-OK.

You can enjoy these guys from Guatemala for their colors and designs, even if you don't want to meet one on a dark road or in the jungle.

Nor are the "people" particularly the sort that one would care to sit with in a local coffee shop.

Yes, I'd allow this Mexican sun-as-mask in my bedroom. Colorful as well as cheery in countenance. From Angelina's, BTW.

This particular mask has a family history and thus earns a spot on my kitchen wall. One year my Mom dressed up for Halloween as the Cat's Meow; I made the mask, though it really, really needs the ears Mom wore to complete the illusion.

13 comments:

Steve said...

Tfhe mask you made looks super. You could probably make a few more and sell them, if you were inclined.

Anil P said...

How very striking many of these masks are. The first one, ringed with feathers, is particularly striking.

Tales from the Birch Wood. said...

I love masks.

Some day a visit to Venice for Carnevale...

Thank you for sharing such a beautiful collection.

Kathleen said...

Love the cat mask and I can imagine the ears just fine! Fun!

kaBLOOnie Boonster said...

Interesting designs. A pleasure to look at. What I've never understood is why people buy expensive artsie things in places like Whiskey Row. After it's been sitting in your house, or on your wall, for three days, do you ever really look at it again?

Maybe there are plenty of people living in Prescott who have so much money that that doesn't matter.

Boonie

Granny J said...

steve -- I haven't much ventured into the arts/crafts since long, long ago when I tried out hooked rugs and machine embroidered hangings. Maybe one of these days I'll post a few.

anil -- actually, the masks really are quite striking and, if I weren't pretty close to that little girl inside who'd be scared of them all, I might opt for one or two on the wall.

tales -- carnevale sounds exciting and, of course, you could wear one of those elegant masks.

frame -- thanks for the endorsement.

boonie -- no, but sometimes your guests do, especially new people in your life. They remind you of what you've incorporated into the background level. However, as a sometimes photographer, I find that I'm continually reappraising my friends' collections as possible photo subjects.

Lucy said...

They are very fine, especially the cat one.

I think masks only really become potentially scary when they are being worn, and so come alive. On the wall they are less so.

Avus said...

Hey - I really like those, Granny! What interesting "crafty" shops you have around Prescott.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

These are great! I'd love to have the Mexican Sun mask out in my garden. :)

Meggie said...

What a wonderful fun mask. I can almost see the ears!!

Steve said...

GJ, I hope you are doing well and making it through the bad weather in Prescott. Wishing the best for you out of Germany.

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