Masks are very strong symbols of action and force. This one is designed to give a more aggressive and fierce approach - one that could scare and terrify the viewer or approaching human. An over-natural lively being is the spirit’s signals to the outer world. Even though the soul behind the mask can have a totally different intention - somehow one chooses to wear it and give that outer look. I’ve made the eyes bigger than the other masks that I recently made to intimidate even more than the other masks. There might even be several of these aggressive types in a deep forest such as the ones in western Canada. So I think this mask rounds up the theme of the three masks I have made this last week. I have made them in the same manner to give support to each other. Masks have fascinated many – especially collectors.

This idea for the third mask came to me while wandering off in thoughts about the last part of the trail I wandered in BC – especially the last part before reaching the top, where I had the opportunity to see the newest finds the research-group had made. The finds showed that what were previously believed to be three extinct animals turned out to be parts of one much larger animal… For hundreds of years mankind has thought these to be three and all of a sudden – they are found to be one.

As I mentioned the other day I made a trip to Canada many years ago. I walked between Calgary and Vancouver through ”The Rockies” (The Rocky Mountains). I didn’t walk all the way – fortunately. Otherwise I might still be wondering around in the mountains. I had the great opportunity to hike in some of the immense national parks and very sacred areas of British Columbia. The nature and wild life there are incredible. The trees are several fathoms in circumference and pointing towards the sky. Birds and bears showed up here and there. The bears actually showed up at one of the hotels we stayed at - not exactly where one would think to see them.

We walked under waterfalls, through woods and up steep mountain sides. Lakes were in toothpaste green. Just a super rush for inspiration - as you can tell by me still talking about it. I will tell you more about those adventures in the future. For now, we are looking at a bird-face mask. To give the same emotional feeling as the last one I have sketched it in pencil and charcoal. I kept the black and white feeling too - just so you see the shapes extra clearly.

The conference excursion I had the possibility to join was a geological one. This opened up a whole new realm of time to me! I discovered yet more sources of inspiration - the mysteries of past nature and wild–life from millions of years ago – all wonderfully preserved in the rugged rocks and majestic scenery – but that’s a topic for another day!

Shapes and form can easily be caught by the eye. Masks and facial expressions are strong symbols that the eye can interpret in several, maybe thousands of ways.

I travelled to British Colombia many years ago. There I had the opportunity to see very many different masks made by artists in that region – the North West Coast. Fascinating styles and art-pieces showing expressions and feelings in lots different appearances. Some of the masks there made you wonder what the creator wanted to express. Your mind toys with heaps of ideas. Maybe even more when they were anonymous - not knowing who has made the mask or what it was for or meant to represent. A book I was given under my stay there, if you ever come across it, I truly recommend entitled “Down from the Shimmering sky”. It has many beautiful pictures of masks in it.

The mask, sketched in pencil and coal, which you see here, I would say is inspired by this trip to BC and of course the book too. The roaring waterfalls and the high mountains – I’ll have to tell you more about that adventure some other time. The mask here has a more futuristic look too - so a nice mix of experience and knowledge from the past…

I have made a wall-paper for the laptop too – (as you can see in the wall-paper menu.)