Halloween 2021

Ya know...?

A bit more of my true self comes out when I'm wearing a mask. I love masks. I love how you can create art with them. I love the person you can express yourself as in them. 

Venetian masks have always been a love of mine - masks in general but, Venetian masks just...hit different. 

For a short moment in time, I crafted clay molds to create paper masks. I love sculpture - the feeling of getting your hands wet, the texture of the clay, and the smell of it. It's pretty dope. I crafted clay molds to create "Venetian masks" to match "My" features. So; wider nose, fuller lips, etc.  I'll get back to it I'm certain. Anyway the costumes, the personality, all of it. It's so amazing. The poise, eloquence, and grace that is expressed from the wearers of the masks - it's something I've always been in love with and I've found that I share these qualities with them naturally. 

The Egungun festivals - the way that they spin and move around. How they show up. How they move. It's all so beautiful to me. There's such a grace. Such a shared connection. Something so "at home" when I watch it. I could go on and on.

I'd like to have a masquerade ball for one of my birthdays.

2021 has been A YEAR, do you hear me? 

A year.

I decided to represent the trickster / jester this year for Halloween. One of the things that the jester or the trickster teaches, is that it will always have the last laugh. Who you think you are and where you think you're going. Fate always has something different. 

I'm growing much closer to uncertainty, loss, and the most unsuspected lasting connections. In those I grow the most. When I think I can direct and think my way into the future based off of what I think I know myself to be...reality shows up, laughs, and reminds me that I'm meant to sit back and enjoy the ride.

I've been insulted for going with the flow - when it's what I'm made of. I've found that when I don't go with the flow, there's a deep reminder from my own calabash that I know who I am and to stick with it - or suffer being laughed at and knocked up by bumpy experiences. The perception of others ideas of my life have nothing to do with me.

It's so interesting when your life contains a lot of receiving - resting - allowing - chilling - protection - waiting - living. BEING. Passive enough. Not too passive, but a passive that can almost feel like stagnation. It will make you want to go rogue. It will make you want to assert "I" "I" I" - it will make you impatient. It will make you demanding. It will make you scream for things to "speed up."

My my. The gratitude that I have for eldership.

@thepaintedfool

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♬ How's That - FKA Twigs