Allison Miller Gallery’s Weblog

As requested by Dawn I’ve included a detail of each Adam & Eve mask.  This is the closeup of Eve.  She has glitter around her eyes.  To get this effect I carved out a layer of wax around her eyes and then used a very thin layer of white glue to stick the glitter too.  I then brushed a layer of clear wax on top and fused it all together with my heat gun.  I then was able to scape off a small layer to reveal some of the glitter.    The blue, green, and red swirls were created by again carving out the wax but then filling it in with wax that was pigmented using oil paint.  Each color has to done individually, fused and then cooled before going to the next color.   The same technique is used for the lips.

Here’s a closeup of Adam.  He has a gravel mixture on top which is glued on and then dipped into wax.  I found this mixture in the artificial plant section at Big Lots (I’m always keeping my eyes open for this kind of stuff).  I then melted it down to reveal the texture.  I also carved out the arrows and lips and filled them in with pigmented wax.  The fish are brads that I found at a dollar store and spray painted them bronze. 

Each mask had it’s own challenges.  The biggest was keeping the wax from melting off the tip of the noses as I fused the rest of it!

Allison

Just completed 2 more masks for another fundraiser.  My nephew’s school, Mill Springs Academy in Alpharetta Georgia, is have a gala fundraiser this coming weekend and I’m donating these 2.  The theme of the gala is Mardi Gras so I thought these would fit right in.  I’ve titled them “Adam & Eve” and as you look at them closer you’ll see that I’ve incorporated some symbolizism into them.  Adam has arrows with fish on his cheeks and Eve has circles with red sparkles along with a few other suggestive shapes.  Both have leaves to bring in an element of nature. 

I’m happy doing these for donations.  There alot of fun to make and whenever I get an opportunity to get my name in front of people as an artist I believe it’s valuable even if there is no money for it.