Here is Allie Knowlton wearing a Green Woman mask which was made using the same techniques that are described in this article! Photo: Evelyn Rysdyk
Nature Mask
by Heather Harden
Humans have long sought to alter their appearance to mimic that of animals and the spirits of nature, first by painting their faces and bodies with soot or mud and later by making elaborate masks and costumes. They did this to honor the animals before the hunt, mimic predators to gain their power, honor the Sun or Moon to appease their spirits.
In the project this month, we will be honoring Nature Spirits by making masks with silk leaves and flowers. A classic Nature Spirit is the Green Man. His image is found on buildings and cathedrals in throughout England and Europe. His beard and eyebrows are frequently depicted as oak leaves. He and his consort the Green Woman are the embodiment and the protectors of the natural world and its power. These spirits can be depicted in any time of the year. So choose a favorite season and have fun!
Tools:
• Glue Gun & glue sticks OR Clear instant dry glue
• Scissors
• Wire cutters
• Toothpick or bamboo skewers
• Scissors
• Plate or scrap of wood to rest glue gun
Materials:
• Mask – small ½ face mask - These are available at costume or craft stores. Use the fabric masks, not the plastic ones!
• Silk-like leaves & flowers - These are available at most craft stores.
• Other embellishments – such as beads, fabric, CLEAN sticks, yarn, feathers etc.
NOTE: If using feathers found outdoors place them in a plastic bag & freeze them overnight or microwave them for 15 seconds to kill possible feather mites.
Prepping the Materials
After you have chosen your season; gather silk leaves, flowers and any other embellishments that represent that season for you. I chose late summer – early fall as my inspiration.
Remove the leaves and flowers from the larger stems using wire cutters. Trim all small connecting stems as needed. It is helpful to have leaves in a variety of color, shapes and sizes.
The masks are available in a variety of colors. Choose a color that will blend with your materials. Masks are made of stiffened fabric or molded plastic. I prefer the fabric, though plastic works equally well and is sometimes less expensive.
The masks have a small piece of elastic that holds the mask on the face. When it is manufactured the elastic is inserted in the small holes from the outside of the mask and knotted on the inside. The mask will fit more comfortably if the elastic is reversed. Untie the knots and insert the elastic from the back of the masks and retie the knots on the front of the mask. The knots will be covered by the leaves and flowers.
A quick note about safety; glue guns get hot enough to burn your fingers and mar the work surface. Place the glue gun on a heat resistant surface and use toothpicks or skewers to place tiny items on the mask. Also protect the work surface from stray globs of glue by covering it with newspaper or baking parchment.
Starting the Mask
Before gluing, lay your mask on a flat surface and arrange the leaves and flowers on the mask until you find an arrangement that pleases you. Start by arranging the larger leaves around the outside edge of the mask. To make the mask bi-laterally symmetrical, like your own face, use the same number of leaves that are similar in shape and size on the right and left sides of the mask.
When you have the leaves around the outside edge the way you want them, glue them in place. Apply a small to medium dot of glue to the base of the leave and press it firmly onto the mask.
Layer smaller leaves like shingles on a roof to fill in around the eyes and nose, trim the leaves if necessary to make them fit better. Remember to leave the eye area unobstructed.
Continue layering the leaves until the entire mask is covered with leaves. Use a variety of shapes, sizes and colors to add interest.
If you notice gaps in any of the layers, it is easy to fill these in by gently moving the upper layer and adding a leaf to cover the gap.
Embellishing
When you are satisfied with the foundation of the mask it is time to gather your embellishments. These can be clusters of small flowers, single blossoms, clusters of berries, or small ivy tendrils. These are just of few examples of the interesting things available.
As with applying the leaves, experiment with the placement of the finishing touches. To hide the stems on clusters of flowers or berries, gently pull back the upper layers of the leaves and tuck the stems under them and apply a medium drop of glue to the base of the stems. Press the layers of leaves over the stems to cover and secure them.
Single blossoms can be used by applying enough glue to the back of the flower to cover the plastic cap that hold the flower together and secures it to the stem. Lay the flower flat on the mask and press firmly.
Many ivy garlands have small stems of leaves and tendrils that can add visual interest and texture to a mask. These can be added between the layers of the leaves in the same manner as the berry clusters.
If, at any point there is an element you are not satisfied with, it can be easily removed, by turning the mask over snipping them out.
As with any craft, knowing when to stop is important in decorating the masks. Sometimes I like to live with my mask a day or two before I decide if I am happy with the final product.
Here are examples of masks I have made to represent other seasons.
Enjoy embodying the essence your favorite season and please share your masks with us!!!!
Heather Harden has been an avid crafter for all of her life who is fortunate to have had her parents and her grandmother as wonderful creative influences. She learned about process and detail through her work in the business world as a Programmer Analyst at Bath Iron Works. As the mom to a developmentally disabled adult daughter she honed her patience and creativity. She is currently pursing the fiber arts, as a dyer and a beginning quilter.
Got cool spirit crafting ideas? Send them into SpriritLiving at submissions@spiritliving.org and please include pictures of the steps!
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