PLASTER BANDAGE MASK WORKSHOP for kids

PLASTER BANDAGE MASKS        

Dear Parents and Kids:

We’re making plaster bandage masks on Mon. Feb. 22. If you’d like to assist your child to make a mask, you’re welcome to join us.

We use cold cream or Vaseline to protect each child’s face from the plaster (it’s like getting a facial!) But each child will need to bring something to hold the hair off the face—such as a hair band, a stretchy tube sock cut into bands, the neck of a tee shirt, hair clips, a cap, or even a plastic bag!

It’s a good idea to wear a large old tee-shirt as a smock, as it’s a messy project. Also bring a soft wash cloth to wash those GREASY faces after the mask comes off. Allergies are rare—but please let us know if you have any concerns.

We begin the workshop with the beginning: creation stories, the first masks, masks of various cultures, the importance of masks—and we’ll explore other options, developing personal themes for the decoration of our masks.

• Masks to help things—masks to heal the environment, masks to make corn grow, masks to facilitate understanding between peoples.

• Masks to stop things—the destruction of the rainforest, to stop Fido from chewing up the homework mask, masks to stop nightmares.

• Masks of origin: totem animal and ancestor masks, futuristic masks, fantasy masks.

HOMEWORK IDEAS: Make a collage mask using magazine photos, find mask shapes hidden in in ordinary everyday objects—cars, bottles, etc.)

We will need lots of interesting goodies to adorn the masks. Think of texture, shininess, color, symbolism, patterns, designs and shapes as you search for small objects that are personal, or that you love, but make sure it’s OK to take them first! Let your imagination run on a wild raid through the junk drawers and boxes—these places contain some fascinating bits of family history.  Also bring things to share with the class—we’ll have a potlatch. 

Some suggestions include: feathers, leather scraps, fur, interesting material, old wrapping paper,  shells, shell bits, small pebbles, bottle caps, buttons, corks, yarns, sequins, beads—big & small, Spanish (mushdash) moss, raffia, tinsel, Easter hay, lace, ribbon (for hair and presents), pipe cleaners, bells, interesting (homemade?) paper, cardboard, heavy paper, shiny foils and decorative papers, bones, pine cones, acorns, bits of costume jewelry, small toys or pieces of toys, dead watches, keys, neat material. . .  

If you have felt, bring it to line the inside of the mask. And some elastic to tie it to your head. 
AND thanks for helping us out!