Duck and Rabbit

 Duck Develops

 Rabbit Begins

Since Easter is just around the corner, we decided to add a rabbit mask to the ducky mask we started last week.


Since everybody has had some experience with the paste and the paper we just dug in a got rolling.


When so many hands are working things get accomplished very fast--and well.


I was impressed and I think the workshop people were too.


Next session will finish these two masks, and we will go on to some other projects we have in mind.

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April First Ducky Mask

 Duck Mask Creation. (Tomasito Photo)

No joke!

This morning (4/1/11) we had the very first meeting of  interested clients at the Westview in Temecula for a session of papier mache fun--I almost said "work".

The suggestion was that we try to make a duck mask so I demonstrated the technique of papier mache to make a wearable duck mask.


We  used a paper grocery sack stuffed with wadded up newspaper for a maquette and taped on some big  "eyes" of wadded newspaper and a bill of cardboard.

The group quickly got the hang of tearing newspaper strips and dipping them into good flour and water boiled paste--  and almost before we knew it-- there was a mighty ducky-looking mask!


We left it to dry over the weekend and Monday we may be able to finish it! Then we hope to get going on a bunny mask just in time for Easter.

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New Location

 Colonel O'Corn Mask (2008), Tomasito.

Tomasito's Creative Workshop has moved to Temecula--one of California's "new towns", which was literally not here 20 years ago and is now a busy community of 75,000 souls.


The town is designed for automobiles so we'll have to see how it handles the new world of high gas prices and more expensive transport.


But that is not the news for this blog.


The news is that our favorite workshop will begin a series of papier mache projects at the Westview center for handicapped people here in Temecula--and our first session will be on April 1, 2011! (I am tempted to say, "of course", since it is the day for all us fools!)


Our first project will be the construction of masks. The clients and staff are looking forward to something different and so am I.

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Sketch of Maria Reiche

My sketch is based on a  photo portrait in a book about the interesting German  woman, Maria Reiche, who took it upon herself to investigate and preserve the now-famous "Nazca Lines" in Peru.

In her old age her face was a work of art--to me a wonderful thing.

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Teddy Bear

This month I had the unusual good fun of creating a papier mache wall-hanging for a little boy's bedroom. The mom wanted to feature one of his favorite toys--a white stuffed teddy bear.

I have had one or two commissions since I started doing papier mache art work three years ago and this one was the most fun for me.

Since it is winter the drying time was long and since I use cardboard and newspaper in the construction, it can get to be a soggy mess if I try to hurry--so it is an exercise in patience and well as artistic skill.

The base of the hanging is a large-size pizza delivery box.

The mom was delighted with the project and so was I.

This is the wall-hanging. It has a 3D effect--with a cave behind the bear.

This close-up shows the animal pictures surrounding the bear. These are color cut-outs from magazines. I didn't use any paint in the construction.

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Watching

Watching the work.

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Christmas 2010

 Al and Christmas Carolers.

Almost Christmas--Al and I and one lady observer are just about to fold up our papier mache work for the afternoon when a family group come into the Activities Room to sing some Christmas Carols for the old residents and patients.

It was a thoughtful gesture and, as "anything different is good" as the guy in the Groundhog Day movie says, the entertainment is much appreciated.

Christmas Child Caroler.

The old people--for some of whom this will be their last Christmas in this used-up body--are especially interested in seeing the next very young generation--singing the same old songs in the same old ways.

Things certainly don't change very much.

The Old Story.

The same old story read the same old way by the oldest member of the family troup. But it still touches you bringing back memories of your own childhood.

Maria, Gina and Therapy Bear.

For the staff, and me, and all the old timers, this was a very good thing--one of those little things that make life worth living in this fast paced Southern California world.

Thanks and Merry Christmas 2010 from Tom and Tanya!

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