Express Yourself
Welcome to Mask Feelings, where you can be yourself! Handcrafted masks inspired by your emotions, personality, and imagination. Explore the gallery, then let’s create something that feels like you.
Masking - the act of hiding or disguising your true thoughts, feelings, behaviors, or traits to fit in, meet social expectations, or avoid judgment and discrimination.
We all mask at some point in our lives. My goal with this project is to help people express their authentic selves in a physical form. I also create custom designs, sports-themed and flag-themed masks. Let’s make something together!
Burning Thoughts. The sun in the center of the third eye shows how the mind can race, and thoughts can be so strong they explode with the power of a sun with a white-hot center. This mask is also a heat map. The red areas show where more tension and literal and metaphorical heat show up for me. Red temples, words, clenched jaw show weight of thought. Orange cheeks and top of mouth for chewing on thoughts before speaking them. Above the temples, a question mark and exclamation point (larger) for burning thoughts, feeling urgent and bringing up a lot of questions about whatever I’m thinking about.
Splitting. Splitting (aka all or nothing thinking) is a part of Borderline Personality Disorder. It is when something or someone is all good or all bad, with no grey area. The left represents the all bad. Darkness consumes your vision and you breathe fire and morn. The frowning on this side and all the small details represent that all the small things I’ve let not bother me come back and clutter my thoughts, not allowing me to see bigger pictures. Also the cracks on this side show the cracking of the psyche and the picture of the perfect thing or person. On the right is the all good. Notice it’s much more open, representing the ability to take more in and be open to ideas and perspectives. The shapes are smooth, unlike the sharp edges on the left side, showing things go smoothly and have the ability to let things roll off easier. This is my most therapeutic mask I’ve made.
Taariq. I made this for my brother Taariq. The spiraling yet open third eye represents an open mind, complex but able to see things clearly. The eyes are bold shapes on top, showing the ability to see the big picture, with a complex pattern below, which is mirrored on the crown of the head. Representing the complex vision of situations and seeing the finer details others can miss. Solid mouth showing confidence in words. Throughout the mask, there are tears with yin-yang patterns showing sweat for work ethic and the emotional balance and high EQ of knowing it’s okay to feel and express said feelings. Very personal mask for a man I’m proud to call my brother. Hit me up if you’d like a personalized mask!
Hello Tattoo. This mask was made for Hello Tattoo Parlor. My good friend Chase is the owner and has done majority of one of my sleeves. Check their Instagram @ChaseFenner @Hello.TattooParlor
Rival Bros Coffee. I made this for Rival Bros Coffee shop (favorite coffee shop in Philly!). Has a coffee cup pouring out coffee beans using the company's color palette. Check them out and get some great coffee and pastries!! If your business is interested in a mask, DM me!
Anxiety. I suffer from anxiety, and when trying to describe what it feels like to have a panic attack I find myself lost for words. The bold shapes are all hooked, representing how once anxiety sets in it grabs ahold of you and it's hard to unhook yourself. The fine details represent two things: 1) the pins and needles sensations I feel on my face if I start hyperventilating, and 2) the static and consuming thoughts that engulf me when I have a panic attack. Disorganized and chaotic, all the small things consume what space you have to try to escape.
Giving Space to Emotions
Balance. The classic yin-yang representing balance. For this one, I made one side a black background with white patterns and the other side a white background with a black pattern. The balance between both the darkness we face with glimmers of hope, and the brightness we experience with moments of doubt. Only with the balance of positive and negative do we have a full human experience. Without darkness, the light seems dimmer, and I find myself less grateful. I’ve learned to appreciate the dark so my light shines brighter.
Puerto Rico / San Lorenzo
Envy. Green is classically associated with envy, which is why I used it as the color scheme. The top of the head is contained and filled with swirling thoughts of what could be if what you desire were in your possession. It’s sectioned off and away from the third eye because the fact is you can’t possess what is not able to be given away. I wanted to do mostly symmetrical patterns on each side because symmetry, classically, is associated with beauty, and envy has roots in romancing what could be and what could be in balance if you had “it” (whatever the it may be).
Thought Progression. This was inspired by how my thoughts about my life at that point in treatment progressed as I had them. Purple blocked in is swirling confusion, encapsulated by a boundary that made it hard to move out of. Brown for muddied thought. The point where things weren’t clear but less confusing. Red for anger about my situation and the circumstances that led me there. Black for disassociation/numbness. Encasing the eyes because seeing out to the positive or connecting with any emotions was nearly impossible (I still struggle with connecting to my emotions and not intellectualizing). Blue for sadness. The gold has multiple meanings. 1) Words are worth their weight in gold-meaning nothing or worth a fortune. 2) Words can be as sweet as honey-have forgiving speech with others or positive self-talk. 3) The drips of black represent that words can be venomous.
Anger. When I get very angry I cry from being overwhelmed and fearful of what will happen to myself and those within my wrath. Fire on the nostrils for metaphorical breathing fire. Horns on the mouth because words come out sharp and can be malicious. The cracks on the top represent anger cracking my psyche and consuming my thoughts. Fire at the temples for feeling hot pressure.
Hope and Growth
Highlighter Design Concept
Grief and Sadness
Expectation vs Reality
Sadness. This is a representation of sadness. The tears stream down, either physically or internally. The chin quivers, and words you want to say drip out even when you try to keep them in.
Confusion. Purple, to me, represents confusion. The eyes are consumed by what it can’t process and/or understand. The third eye is spiraling into itself because of it. I’m confused about something and trying to figure out how to fix it/understand it; my mind will sometimes collapse in on itself. It consumes my words; that's why the mouth is purple.
Christine. I made this for my therapist in treatment (and now current therapist). She would/will directly challenge my thoughts or call out when I’m intellectualizing (the fire red). She also enjoys getting “into the muck” and working on the difficult stuff other therapists will tiptoe around or avoid (the black). Together they mix at the third eye because the balance of the two makes her affective. The gold mouth represents how what she’s told me has been golden and honest. There are sprinkles of red and black throughout the gold showing how different parts of the personality and thought come through the words she speaks.
Omi
Yvette. A mask I made for my friend Yvette. A motif and inspiration from the Queen of Hearts. The regal small lips with the 4 different suits. Red and black color scheme, at request
Relations
Imperfection. I made this one for one of the therapists at my treatment center. She often talked about relationships and how, generally, or interpersonally, things don’t have to be perfect if things are worked on together. When I started the mask I made a ‘mistake’ immediately by having something on the forehead not symmetrical or lined with the perfect center. My instinct was to toss it and give up, but I used it as an opportunity to make something I would like. Even though it started negatively, I put in effort, pushed through, and made something I was proud of.
Self Concept. The first mask I made. Generally representing my feelings of going through treatment and my lack of sense of core identity (BPD hallmark)
University of Michigan. Made this for a Michigan fan. Iconic helmet with the school’s color scheme. Around the jawline are all the years of championships. Can do other schools at request
Let’s make something together!
My goal with this project is to help others express their emotions through mask creation. This process has been cathartic for me, and I’d love to help others experience the same. I can also make designs for businesses, sports teams, flags, or just something you’d think would look cool to display. Reach out, and we can discuss what you’d like to express!
