Laguna Beach Full Moon Drum Circle July 2017 at Aliso Creek State Beach

 
I love this monthly event, as it closely resembles the spirit at Burning Man like few other local events I've found. I get fully into, the spirit, often dressing up in my Burning Man clothes, occasionally drawing on my face with a burnt cork, and always sporting my hand-painted palm frond masks, so to hide my true identity. We all wear masks, do we not? Not to belabor the point, but yeah, we do. Mine happens to be made from a palm frond.

Here I am in my hippy gear: shower curtain pants, blue cape, Cambodian shirt. Beating the rhythm out of an oatmeal can with a piece of bamboo.

Come join us. Every full moon. On the beach at Aliso Creek in Laguna Beach, CA.

"Angry Sneer" Palm Frond Mask, Acrylic

Latest mask. An interesting story behind this one:

I had a plan to paint a dog on this frond. I really need to make more dog masks. People really love their dogs, and I'm sure I can sell many masks portraying popular breeds. But when I looked at the blank canvas of this Queen Palm frond base, I couldn't help myself from seeing the angry spirit here captured. It was inherent in the folds and markings of the wood: the squinty eyes, pig-nose, and side-breaking mouth. This is my usual method for creating these masks: I find the face already hidden within it. But this time, I really wanted to make a dog mask! But the spirit of the wood was there, glowering at me. Could I really just cover him up with a happy German Shepherd that had nothing to do with this particular frond's shape and form? Well, no, obviously, I couldn't. There are thousands of frond bases falling off thousands of Queen Palm trees in the OC area. But only this one frond contained this wood spirit. I'm not sure how saleable this mask will be, but here he is, angry sneer and all.

New Palm Frond Masks: Red Stone, Long Face. Updated!

Update: Finished this one.

Red Stone Face

Acrylic on Palm Frond

Feb 2017

Original Post:

I've been working on my palm frond masks lately.

Red Stone Face
Acrylic on Palm Frond
Feb 2017

I've cleaned up a new batch of downed frond bases. That involves trimming off the excess fringes, messy and breakable edges of the fronds, with saw, razor and shears. Then sanding the remaining rough edge as smooth as possible-- this part is tricky because the wood is porous with thick fibers, so sanding the edge more and more just ends up revealing more and more rough fiber ends.

I left them, concave side up outside in the pouring once-in-a-lifetime torrential California rain, and they got pretty clean, like being power-washed. Some sanding remains to be done on the surfaces, which often shed a wispy filmy skin which kind hinders the painting process.

Then the design goes on. I have a plan to do more quicker ones, say under an hour of painting, as well as a few more intricately designed ones taking much longer.

Long Face
Acrylic on Palm Frond
Jan 2017

Here pictured are an example of each type. The red mask was inspired by a vision, of a red stone face, not surprisingly. I have a bit more work to do on that one.

The wood textured mask was more or less doodled onto the frond in black acrylic paint, diluted with water. It has eye holes which I had drilled previously.  Painting the face on it took me considerably less than an hour. More like 5-10 minutes.

You need a mask! I have your mask! Hit me up! Let's make a deal, I will work with your budget. What kind of mask do you want? I'm your man for palm frond masks. I can draw or paint Your Face on a palm frond, and it will actually look like you! Or your loved one, your pet, or your favorite person or animal or image!

BFF!  Best Fronds Forever!

Support the Arts!

New Palm Frond Masks: Boston Terrier, Three Monkeys

My two latest palm frond masks are gifts to my brother's family.

The Boston Terrier pictured below is Bella, the Ari family dog. At age 16, blind and feeble, she is on her last leg. Here she is in healthier times, immortalized on the frond of a Queen Palm.
I searched in my collection of blank fronds (about 100 of them) for the one that had the closest shape to the characteristic stubby snout of the Boston Terrier. The fronds usually have bends and curves in them, suggesting noses, jowls, etc. This one was pretty close. Just a little upturn I could use for the dog's muzzle.  The angled shots below better show the shape of the frond.

Bella the Boston Terrier
Acrylic on queen palm frond
November 2016
a gift to the Ari's 

 And the mask below I made as a gift for one set of my brother's in-laws, who have hosted my folks and I for the last few thanksgivings. They are big collectors of art, and one recurring theme in their collection is the three monkeys of folk art: hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. This was my interpretation of the classic meme, which I call Hear, See, Speak ALL.

Three Monkeys, or Hear, See, Speak ALL
Acrylic on queen palm frond
November 2016
A gift for the Vorzimers.

Three Monkeys
Detail 

Three Monkeys
Detail

This video gives a feel for the 3D structure of the frond. Unfortunately, it's turned sideways, and I can't seem to fix that.
You'll just have to turn your head or your monitor slightly.
Thankyou.

Palm Frond Masks: Latest Two.

I'm not sure what to say about these two, except that they are my latest, and there are two of them.

Lookit!

Palm Frond Masks
Long Face
Toothy Smile

My current supply of cleaned-up palm fronds ready to go:

40 or so palm fronds

My Artwork is For Sale Online!

At my Etsy shop, you can browse and purchase my artwork.
So far, I have posted 20 palm frond masks.  More masks will follow, as well as other paintings, drawings, and prints.
Thanks for looking!
I would be happy to hear any feedback, comments or questions anyone has.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PalmFrondMaskContent

Goblin Wizard

Palm Frond Mask Display Video 2

My palm frond masks, fabulous and for sale.

Palm Frond Mask Display Video

These are some my painted palm frond masks. I made this display video to show them off to potential buyers.

Palm Frond Masks: Next Two

A couple more masks in progress.

Palm Frond Mask: Blue Period Man

Another of my latest set of masks.  Mostly blue for this guy.  A simpler, in-process shot shown below.

Palm Frond Mask: Chill Shaman

From my latest set of palm frond masks.  

Chill Shaman
2015

Palm Frond Mask: DIrty Old Man

Why anyone would want such a mask is beyond me, but here it is.  I tend to commit to whatever face I see in the natural shape of the frond, so I just went with this design.  I don't make any excuses for my work, other than that one.

Dirty Old Man Mask
Acrylics
2014

Pam Frond Masks: Wood Spirits

Often, when making a palm frond mask, I look for the face that is suggested by the natural curve of the wood, rather than imposing a character or design upon the frond, from out of my own head. The entity or spirit is already there in the wood; I just bring it out with the paint and, in this case, marker.

Palm Spirit: Female

Palm Spirit: Male

Kabuki-Style Palm Frond Mask, at the Drum Circle

I made a new palm frond mask.  This one is attached to a hat so I can wear it hands-free, although I have yet to drill a few eyeholes.  In Japanese Kabuki style, but with no particular character being referenced.  

Anyone can pick up young girls, with just a shaman outfit and a palm frond mask! Try it!

Hangin' with my homies at the drum cizzircle!

Kabuki Palm Frond Mask
Acrylic & watercolor
2015

Palm Frond Masks: At home and about.

 My hand-painted palm frond masks are awesome and for sale. Some are functional, with eye holes, but most are decorative, being a bit heavy to wear.

A display of some of my masks in my bedroom.

I and some friends posing with masks down at the gas station.

Dancing with my mask and fun people at the full moon drum circle in Laguna Beach.

Another artist I met had made this gorgeous mandrill mask.

Grinch Palm Frond Mask

I made this little Grinch mask from a smaller palm frond, and it sold soon after it was done.

Grinch- acrylic on palm frond

Three Collages

 Back when I used to work as a game tester, I filled notebooks full of written-up bugs found in computer games.  I'd often doodle in the margins of the notes, as I used to do back in school.  I saved some of the best doodles for many years.  I  compiled them into a set of collages, colored with watercolor paints, at a fun group collaging event we had at the studio, recently.  Enjoy!
 

Rune Window to Future City

Dream-state with Alien and Cars

Trippy Collage

Shnozzy McGee Comic Strip

Hey, Everybody! It's Shnozzy McGee, your favorite cartoon walking nose!  Please observe his mundane adventures, won't you?

Shnozzy McGee
acrylic paint on palm frond