JOANNA MOZDZEN

Joanna was always fascinated by the human face. It is a limitless source of mystery and drama, she believes. It was when she emigrated to Canada, that she discovered clay in her art classes. She says, “I knew that I wanted to pursue a career as an artist, but I feared the art critics. This lead me to start making theater masks and eventually my creations progressed to artistic masks and figurative sculptures.” She uses clay to create her mask designs. She loves the feeling of wet clay under her fingers. She says, “I am so grateful that I am able to do what I love to do. Creating art is my life. I am always working on improving my skills, which is a neverending, life-long process. I would love to see my theater masks used in different plays, and my ceramic masks and sculptures featured in galleries all over the world.” Her advice to aspiring young mask artists - it is important to learn how to work properly with clay as a medium. Be patient. When it comes to creating faces, I emphasise the power of observation. It is important to become familiar with the human face if you wish to replicate it in the form of a mask.