A Passion For Creativity

Well, I’ve been hinting strongly at a story with these collages. The narrative connection between the masks really came together after I finished designing them. “A Fine Masquerade” consists of the thirteen collage mask images along with a short story that I’ve made into a small (4” x 5 ¾”) accordion-style booklet. Although not an “artist’s edition” in the traditional sense, all of the work is completed by me in a numbered and signed edition of 75.

I think of an artist’s edition as consisting of hand-pulled prints (etching, block, linoleum, etc.) and these were printed with an inkjet printer. The interior pages are cotton paper printed with archival ink, then hand-cut and put together using Yes paste (also archival). The covers are individually collaged and unique. Each booklet is finished off with a wrapping cord and an African krobo bead. 

The price of each booklet is $23.50, which includes CA sales tax. Domestic shipping is $2.00. You may order this via credit card (PayPal) or check. Contact me at joan@joandesmond.com  to add A Fine Masquerade to your collection.

 Erebos Raven

He’s been rocking in the forceful wind, long claws dug into the top of the phone pole across the road for months. Black feathers rise and fall with gusts, and at times glint white in the sun. Daily, his scratchy Caw! Caw! demands Peanuts! Peanuts! Come scatter the morning peanuts! If ignored he moves onto a pine branch above the house for the thunderous effect. At night he beds in those trees.

A smaller female has joined him.  They’ll both chase and dive-bomb hawks venturing into this air space as if somehow a red-tail might steal the precious meal. Lately, their biggest competitor is a coyote who also likes goobers. Not as successful as expelling that raider, they boldly swoop and hop around him hopeful of leftovers.

In an opportune moment, the ravens stuff several peanuts in their beaks and fly off to dissect them. Only then is it quiet.

Of course there had to be a raven collage mask!

Magenta Cat

She is fat-cheeked and cutesy, but don’t underestimate her. She is a mask after all. Magenta is a balance to that which is darker, in a world that’s all about balance. She also represents the colors of the evening, the colors of the setting sun. 

Hydros Goat

Can weather be bi-polar? Today the thermometer has flipped over to 50 and it’s drizzling rain.

It’s a good time to introduce the goat mask image.  Hydros is the Greek word for water. You may have noticed that many of the mask images have Greek names. The goat represents the aspects of water in the story: blue watered creeks winding through the woods, deep dark purple pools, and bubbling water running over rocks.

Mandarin Fox

For several months this past winter two gray foxes visited in the evening. One has lived alone around here for years, and at some point completely lost his tail. He’s a strange sight, like discovering a new animal species. The new fox is smaller and sports a long, lush tail. I’m hoping it’s a vixen.

As the design work on the collages continued, a thin story thread dangled in front of me. The collages became more symmetrical in design and more symbolic. Masks are symbolic. Look at the symbol and there is often another level of masking underneath. The collage animals all represent certain character traits but there’s also a color-wheel relationship between the bull & the fox.

Malachite Bull

The bull breaks the earth and kicks up the hidden stones. He charges around in a circle between the red and green.

Phyllidos Owl

In the black space of night the deep rhythmic calls of owl bounce round. Unseen, only those hoots, and perhaps the swoosh of quick wings mark its presence. Even in the day it stays hidden, merging into the tree.