“Masks”

“Masks”. What unrealized potential lay beneath the masks that women wear every day.  What about the writers, artists, scientists and adventurers that exist in our minds but are hidden by our realities.

The images of women were sourced from vintage magazines published around the 1940’s and 50s. I often wonder if women in the that era, my mother’s era, ever really got to live in the way they would have chosen. Social and familial expectations were entrenched but starting to change - and to what extent is that the same today?

The headdress of each portrait perhaps represent elements of their personalities that they may never have been truly able to realise. Writers, musicians, artists, scientists…

Each portrait is created on a small block that is heavily textured with layers of collage paper torn from books and magazines that contain subtle messages and images partially concealed with a wash of strong colour. The use of paper, paint, glue, imagery and ephemera allows me to layer, scrape, reveal, hide and highlight aspects of the work. Texture is always lurking through the layers.

The use of blocks gives dimension and strength to the stories of a group of women and add a sculptural feel.  The blocks will be mounted on a single board to reveal hidden hopes and dreams of 9 women living in the 1950’s.

The finished piece will be a panel measuring approximately 35cm high by 30cm wide.  It is made up of nine small wooden blocks that each measure 11cm high by 9cm wide by 4.5cm deep.  There is approximately 1cm between each of the blocks.  The nine blocks will be mounted on heavy black board.