I won an artist commission through the HNC Living Foundation to create a piece of artwork out of a cancer mask.
I talked about this project in a past blog titled An Art Project in Honor of my Dad.
I have finally finished the piece. Due to the current state of the world, the event for the fundraiser has been cancelled but is still going to be online. I thought I would share my final project with you. This was so outside of anything I normally do.
I cut the face out of the mask to make it feel like a cocoon opening up or splitting open. The quote “Just when a catepillar thought the world was over it became a butterfly” kept going through my mind. Change and transformation can be scary and hard. I covered the mask in unbleached cheesecloth and then used coffee to stain it. I wanted it to look old and used. Much like how cancer ravages the body.
This type of cocoon is opening up and reveals a clean fresh image underneath. This was a mask I cast from my sons face which happened to fit perfectly within the radiation mask. The eyes and mouth are open. Almost a gasping for breath. A scream of pain and anger and sadness. Flying from the mouth are butterflies. These symbolize hope and transformation.
I’m proud of the finished project. I think my dad would like it, too.
Stroke of Red Studio 