John Flemming's masks are sold in both a "Limited Edition" series and an "Open Edition" series.
The "Limited Edition" series are limited to ten copies of
each work. After careful drawing,
a mask is made in a very rough form to work
out its scale,
and to create a pattern.
Then, as many as 150 pieces of leather are individually
cut, dyed a different color on each side, intricately
skived,
and assembled into a relief form, suggesting
the sculpture's eventual volume.
The entire mask is then soaked in hot water to soften the leather. While still wet, it is attached to a pedestal, to secure it, freeing both of his hands to manipulate the leather. The piece is then heated slowly, in small areas, as it is sculpted entirely "freehand" into its final shape.
There are no molds or forms used in this process, which takes days. Once the form is achieved, acrylic glazes are then delicately applied to the colors with small brushes to give the work its vibrant color and finish. All masks are eventually mounted on a specially designed rack and
ready to hang on the wall.
A display mount to present
them on a table or shelf is
also available. These "Limited
Edition" pieces are most
often
quite large and bring a
beautiful energy to a space.
The "Open Edition" masks
are
created in the same careful manner as the "Limited
Edition" works. Equal attention
is paid to all of the details.
They are very wearable, and available in other colors than
shown. Mounts for the wall
or table displays are available
for any of these pieces. Contact the artist for custom
orders and new models available.