The Mask is my contribution to a challenge set by felter Fiona Duthie to attendees of her workshops. The challenge was to create something that suited the theme “Separate yet Connected”. Making fabric masks for various friends and family at the time inspired me to create this large (24” x 12”) mask which is symbolic of our experiences during Covid-19 lockdown.
I photographed the mask in various human habitats to catalog some of the places (work and play) and people impacted as well as other reactions to our new reality. As the pandemic wore on, reactions to the handling of the pandemic response started to change as inequalities, structural racism and stupidities were exposed. The provincial government seemed to capitalize on our distraction by slipping in plans for additional highways and undermining efforts to save historic sites e.g. the foundry. The blinders came off as the data flowed in about the patterns of caseloads and hospitalizations and death. Vaccinations starting in wave 3 started to tamp down the impacts overall but the underlying patterns of inequality are still there, largely untreated. And so we go.
Layout two layers of merino wool - finished size is 12” x 24” with about 25% shrink
Kozo paper will cover the entire surface, cuts will show the wool below
Final layout with two horizonal pieces of Kozo paper, followed by the sheet of Kozo across the whole surface plus surface decor of inked paper and silk
Felt until you see the base wool coming through and then full to a tight shrink. Take care not to rip the paper. Fold three pleats and secure them with clips or sew down until dry.
To finish the mask, create a channel for a felted rope on both of the short sides. Make a couple of long felted ropes and thread them through the channels.
Mask in the Community
During the first three waves of Covid-19 in Toronto, I took the mask and posed it in the environment to document the impacts of the pandemic on our lives and some of our reactions to conditions during the pandemic. The mask stood up well to posing in all seasons. I moved mid 2021 just as the lockdown in Ontario was lifting so was unable to document additional waves. I have been donating all proceeds from the sale of this book (at cost) to the babies born during the pandemic. The joy of a new life is tamped down by restrictions for health and safety. I distribute the funds through a group of dedicated midwives who have shouldered much emotional weight during this time. The books are available in the shop.