“Put On Your Happy Face”
We’ve all done it - we’ve all had to “put on our happy face”, move on or put up with situations we do not agree with. Maybe you’ve had to hide behind the mask to not show how you really feel. Perhaps you’ve met someone that wears the mask perpetually to persuade and manipulate yourself or others.
To me, the very core of this sculpture has been witnessing others manipulate for their advantage. At the same time, I have also masked my own passions, life goals and emotions thinking they were what I wanted. Drowning out my true thoughts and feelings and not speaking up. It is painful and self-destructive to not be true to yourself.
Putting on this mask destroys who we truly are - represented by the zombified creature holding the mask. Whether you use it to protect yourself or witness others being fake to get ahead, lie, cheat and steal are all subject to the same soul-destroying fate. The manipulators usually don’t see it and possibly never will. For those of us that use it to accept our “situations” in life we still have a chance to drop the mask and be who we truly are.
Do not live a life that you think others want. Do not be silent. do not accept mediocrity. You have one life - don’t let the mask live it for you.
Are you happy with your life? Are you living it to the fullest? In the end, will you look back and say you were in full control of your life?
How It was Made
ZOMBIE FIGURE: Starting as stainless steel rods and tubes, like most of my work, I used TIG welding to build up, fill in and shape the figure. I left holes and gaps in the body of the zombified creature to show further deterioration and destruction of its body and soul. I was careful to form the figure as an emaciated human. Careful and repeated studying of the human body and skeletal system helped me emphasize those features.
THE MASK was something I spent a great deal of time on. It started as a stainless tube which I cut in half length-wise, opened up and formed the facial details with more build-up welding techniques. I felt that the mask should stand out both in detail and color. Once the mask was completed, I smoothed out all the textures the welder leaves and gave it a powder coated finish to really look like a porcelain mask. As a final step and detail, I used a wire wheel to carefully make the mask appear worn from many years of constant use.
THE BASE is a 6” diameter solid concrete cylinder which I mixed, poured and shaped myself. It was very important to me that the figure appear to be standing on top of the concrete and not sunk into it. There are rods inside the concrete which strength the base as well as hold a welded plate on the bottom which has my signature, the name of the sculpture and year of creation permanently etched onto it.
SPECS:
Height: 24”
Weight: 25 lbs
Materials: Stainless steel & Concrete
“Put On Your Happy Face”
We’ve all done it - we’ve all had to “put on our happy face”, move on or put up with situations we do not agree with. Maybe you’ve had to hide behind the mask to not show how you really feel. Perhaps you’ve met someone that wears the mask perpetually to persuade and manipulate yourself or others.
To me, the very core of this sculpture has been witnessing others manipulate for their advantage. At the same time, I have also masked my own passions, life goals and emotions thinking they were what I wanted. Drowning out my true thoughts and feelings and not speaking up. It is painful and self-destructive to not be true to yourself.
Putting on this mask destroys who we truly are - represented by the zombified creature holding the mask. Whether you use it to protect yourself or witness others being fake to get ahead, lie, cheat and steal are all subject to the same soul-destroying fate. The manipulators usually don’t see it and possibly never will. For those of us that use it to accept our “situations” in life we still have a chance to drop the mask and be who we truly are.
Do not live a life that you think others want. Do not be silent. do not accept mediocrity. You have one life - don’t let the mask live it for you.
Are you happy with your life? Are you living it to the fullest? In the end, will you look back and say you were in full control of your life?
How It was Made
ZOMBIE FIGURE: Starting as stainless steel rods and tubes, like most of my work, I used TIG welding to build up, fill in and shape the figure. I left holes and gaps in the body of the zombified creature to show further deterioration and destruction of its body and soul. I was careful to form the figure as an emaciated human. Careful and repeated studying of the human body and skeletal system helped me emphasize those features.
THE MASK was something I spent a great deal of time on. It started as a stainless tube which I cut in half length-wise, opened up and formed the facial details with more build-up welding techniques. I felt that the mask should stand out both in detail and color. Once the mask was completed, I smoothed out all the textures the welder leaves and gave it a powder coated finish to really look like a porcelain mask. As a final step and detail, I used a wire wheel to carefully make the mask appear worn from many years of constant use.
THE BASE is a 6” diameter solid concrete cylinder which I mixed, poured and shaped myself. It was very important to me that the figure appear to be standing on top of the concrete and not sunk into it. There are rods inside the concrete which strength the base as well as hold a welded plate on the bottom which has my signature, the name of the sculpture and year of creation permanently etched onto it.
SPECS:
Height: 24”
Weight: 25 lbs
Materials: Stainless steel & Concrete
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