I’ve recently finished working on my latest mask - The Alchemist.

Based on the traditional Venetian Bauta mask with a Gothic twist, this unique mask is a private commission for Venice carnival 2009. The design allowed me to explore new ideas in leather mask-making, experimenting with rivets and hand tooling to create an exciting and different look. I’m really pleased with the result, and am definitely going to be designing more masks with tooling and rivets in the very near future.

Exciting news for lovers of all things dark and gothic: Darklight Industries are pleased to announce the Dark Fantasy Ball 2009! Your hosts, Lilith, Artemis and Gaia welcome you to their night of masquerade and fantasy. Luxuriate in the opulent surroundings and wonder at the array of beautiful, creative masks and costumes. Dance the night away to some of the finest Gothic, Industrial and EBM music around. The only limits are your imagination! Click on the link below for more information.

This looks like the perfect event to wear a Xothique Designs mask to, and there’s plenty of time to plan your total look. Why not contact me to discuss ideas, and let me create an unique mask designed to your specifications.

While I’m on the subject of purchasing masks, I’d just like to say a big ‘Thank You’ to everyone who has purchased a mask from me this party season, and I hope you have as much pleasure from them as I had from designing them.
I’m currently experimenting with carving and creating multi-layered effects in leather, and I hope to have some new and interesting masks and other bodywear to show you very soon. Watch this space!

Finally, I’d like to take the opportunity to wish you all a happy, fun-filled and safe All Hallow’s Eve.

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2. 1

Midsummer is almost upon us - just as we get used to the long hours of daylight, the season turns. Nonetheless, the solstice is a magical time, a time when tradition has it that the realms swing closer together and the boundaries between them may become indistinct and easily traversed, if you possess the imagination and wit to guide you on your way.
To celebrate this enchanting time of year I have some special offers - for a limited time only.
Check out my Midsummer Magic Sale and join the spirit of the masquerade!

I have exciting news - some of my artwork is now available as ‘pixel-art’ kits. This fabulous new idea evokes all the richness of tapestry, yet there is no messing about with calculating the right amount of thread - it’s just like creating a mini-mosaic. I think of it as tapestry for the digital age.
Check it out here.

For those of you who love living history and re-enactments - and I know I do, having mis-spent quite a lot of my youth that way, I have a treat. An 18th century band, committed to reproducing an authentic sound, and having a lot of scandalous fun on the journey. Not only do they sound wonderful - they look amazing as well.
Lady Georgianna are truly fantastic and you can check them out here.

Unfortunately, ill health has stalked me these past couple of months, and so my production has slowed to a crawl, however, I am feeling much better and am getting back on track with the mask-making and the artwork. May was a busy month for mask sales, Midsummer masquerades are looming, and everyone is getting into the spirit of things, it seems. I’ve a couple of new masks in my shop and more on the way. Watch out for some faery-inspired masks later this month!

I have made some of my masks available from Etsy, though they are cheaper to buy directly from my site - as Etsy charges a commission for each item sold.
It’s worth checking out my shop though, as I will occasionally be listing items there that won’t be available through this website, including leather Runes and pendants, and other pieces of wearable art. You never know quite what might appear.

A recent conversation with a dear friend sparked some dark and interesting mask ideas, so following on from the oriental masks I did last month, I’ve remained with papier-mache and am happily experimenting. I’ve done pretty and colourful masks for a while, so it’s high time I indulged my darker side.
I’m currently working on a mask which will have a fine tracery of cracks across its surface, like an antique porcelain doll. It looks creepy already, and I’m quite excited at the effect.

I have also been spending quite a lot of time at Deviant Art. The community is excellent for networking amongst like-minded artists and bouncing ideas around, and I’ve made a few really good friends there. Check out Reincarnations for beautiful hand-painted furniture, and some of the most fascinating candle-holders I’ve seen for a long time.

And finally, I’m continuing to play around with Painter X. I had been using Painter 9.5 for a while, and there is not a great deal of difference between the two, though I’m still happily exploring the possibilities of the golden ratio tool and the real brushes that painter X has to offer. This year I would like to spend more time on my 2D artwork as well as making masks, and hope to have something worthwhile to show very soon. Watch this space…

Well, the new year started with a wonderful commission - I was approached to make two masks to be worn at the carnival in Venice. The project - an oriental gentleman and a character from the Beijing opera, posed quite a challenge; one of the masks had to have a mandarin style beard! It took some working out, but I eventually devised a way of attaching the beard and weaving it securely into the papier-mache without getting it covered in glue. This photo (click for a larger view) is of the completed masks before ribbons were attached, and I hope to have costume pictures from Venice very soon.

I’m really pleased with the finished masks. What a great show of faith in my abilities, and what a great boost to my confidence - to have supplied masks for Venice!

This commission has fired my enthusiasm for papier-mache once again, and I’ve been exploring a few new ideas for decoration and experimenting with crackle-glazes and darker themes, inspired by antique dolls. I have also added quite a few new leather masks to my range - check out my sales page to see what’s available.
This year I also want to do more painting and drawing. I miss my watercolours. That said - I have recently bought Painter X and am happily experimenting with it. The real-bristle brushes are fantastic!
Watch out for updates over the next few weeks.

I’ve been making masks out of papier-mache for a few years, now. I have no formal training, but having explored and researched many different techniques on my mask-making journey, I like to think I’ve served my apprenticeship. That is not to say that I am not open to learning new skills; far from it. I have recently discovered the joy of working in leather.

I have always wanted to create leather masks, but shied away from it for several years - I suffer from tendon problems in my arms, and working leather is quite intensive. The thought that I might do myself further injury always put me off. Earlier this year, however, the lovely people at The Identity Store in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, persuaded me to try a small sample of vegetable-tanned leather to see what I could do with it, and I haven’t looked back since. It’s such a gorgeous medium to work with. I love the way it moulds to a form, and the luxurious texture and feel of it. I’ve experimented with different grades of leather and different finishes, and I am confident that I will soon be able to showcase some unique new masks.

The good news is that so far I have been pacing the work quite carefully, and haven’t noticed any worsening of my symptoms. In case anyone gets the wrong idea, I am not giving up papier-maché. I like both media. There are effects that I can achieve in leather that I couldn’t with paper, and vice versa.

I am currently working towards the Hallowe’en and Christmas seasons, so expect to see some new and hopefully interesting designs over the coming months.

H.xx

I’ve  put together a small slideshow of some of the better pictures of Prince Charles’ visit to Newport and Gwent Enterprise’s “Enterprising Arts” project in November, including some images kindly provided by photographer Ben Wills (via Enterprising Arts) and South Wales Argus Photosales. If you’re interested in learning more about any of the wonderful people who made this event happen, please visit the links you’ll see in the picture captions. If I’ve missed anyone out, please let me know and I’ll be happy to add credits as appropriate.

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It has been a hectic couple of months, and I haven’t been able to post here as often as I’d like. There’s lots to do, but I hope to make more time to update from now on.
Over the past few days I’ve updated the site with some of my most recent work, check out my ‘what’s new’ section for the latest pictures. In addition, I am also working on a large canvas commission and some new mask designs - more about these at a later date.
I have also started a new series of dragon cards, the first two of which are on eBay with a few days to go in the auction.

Thanks for looking!