Tyler Phillips

I enjoy building artistic masks because I get to work with my hands and use colorful acrylic paint. The inspirations for my designs are from the geometrical patterns found in nature and the intricate scales of reptiles. My work explores the use of cultural animal masks and their purpose of communicating with the spirits of the desert. I use cardboard pieces arranged into a symmetrical overlapping pattern. Everything is tied together with twine, and the inside is a layer of foam clay. The acrylic paints add texture and reveal the lines between the connecting shapes.