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How to cast a Mask

"The costume is the center of an unfolding, wordless drama and…
delightfully playful humor… a sumptuously fantastical creation." (S.F. Examiner)

See a demo online about making a mold

See another stage of the mask process

Moving Archetypal Image
Create and become your own temple headdress... an iconic image that comes alive as an archetypal moving image. Experience endless pleasure in casting and remolding masks, ornamenting them with metallic leaves and patinas, rice paper, fibers, adding wires and extensions inspired by natural beauty of the area. Throughout the workshop, through theatrical and poetic imagery in movement spontaneously your headdress will unfold and come alive,and through techniques Sha Sha share s that she uses in her own work.Bring your own ornamental memorabilia.
See a tutorial online on sewing and dying of costumes

CLICK TO SEE VIDEO OF THE WORKSHOP

For 4 days Sha Sha Higby taught participants different techniques of casting, wire structure, millinery, dying, collaging, and the use of many different kinds of adhesives. Everyone was very talented. At the end we gave an informal performance and Sha Sha Higby (in costume) summoned each one to come up into the light. Later, the next day, they tried them individually over the ocean at Esalen, Big Sur, California. The participants were fantastic, some were professional performers, some had never performed, and some were preparing a work for Burning Man.

Golden Masks on a Stick

SHA SHA HIGBY

Thursday, December 13. 6 to 9 p.m.

$45, $36 members $10 materials fee.

Caste from a mold from Sha Sha Higby's masks, mount it onto a stick, add wires to create a structural form, and embellish with ornamental projections. Sha Sha will guide you through a myriad of techniques that she uses in her costumes like collage and adornment. During breaks, stretch with movement and music as Sha Sha works. We will add bells, rattles and then bring the pieces for caroling in the night, shaking the golden and sparkling images Bring memorabilia, natural sticks, a bell or shaker, scissors, pliers, and wear loose clothing. RSVP by December 6.

Sample Workshops:
These are some of the workshops ShaSha has taught and various ways it has been written up.

The Moving Archetypal Image-long version
Create and become your own moving temple ... an icon that comes alive as an archetypal image that you will manipulate yourself and move within. Participants will learn a myriad of “hands on” techniques that
Sha Sha uses for the construction of her sculptural costumes. Learn to cast masks from molds, add wire extensions, metallic leaf, rice paper, fibers inspired by the natural environment. At the end, you will explore the mysteries of creativity through movement visualizations using intuition, movement, and poetry. Bring memorabilia,poems, enclosure (s) that you would like to include in your moving temple-
a mandala of images. At the workshop’s end, we will perform or ask each other to perform our individual body sculptures . This workshop promises many surprises – poignant, powerful, humorous, and flamboyant. Let this creative opportunity inspire other realms of your life. The beginner is welcome, as well as the seasoned artist. ideally 2-4 day workshop but abbreviated version can be done as a day workshop.

For the workshop, wear loose and dark clothing and bring a flash light, journal or colored construction paper, pastels, pliers, scissors, cardboard, masking tape, and any ornamental yarns, trims, beads, fabric scraps, sticks, or other bits of interesting forms you find.

Sha Sha covers all sculptural and casting materials, crinoline, foils for decorating, dyes, patinas, silk roving, and organic materials. If you are presenting...,Details of materials and supplies needed

Wire forms in Light 1:30-4:30
One of the techniques Sha Sha uses in her costumes is manipulating three dimensional forms with wire, Sculpt your own sculpture out of wire. Stretch it with different colored papers and tint it with dyes. electrically wire it and put it on a revolving base so it moves in the light( supplies available at workshop) At the end create a short performance vignette dancing with your ornamented rice balls in a darkened room . These are some of the creative techniques Sha Sha uses for formulating her costumes. To get started and to take a break from our wirework, movement will inspire drawings that loosen us to create unimaginable structures. $45. $10-15 payable to instructor includes materials,lamp parts etc.

Bring your own needle nose pliers medium size and some scrap newspaper,some varieties of rice paper. For the workshop, wear loose and dark clothing and bring a flash light, journal or colored construction paper, pastels, pliers, scissors, cardboard, masking tape, and any ornamental yarns, trims, beads, fabric scraps, sticks, or other bits of interesting forms you find.

Magic on a stick

Caste from a mold of Sha Sha Higby's masks, mount it onto a stick, add wires and form to make a rod puppet. Manipulate,decorate, and add whimsical projections. Be guided through a myriad of Sha Sha’s techniques of wire wrapping and embellishing used to texture her sculptural costumes. Add bells, add rattles and bring for a shakedown at Sha Sha’s performance. . After the show is over you will be invited with your magic masks up onto the stage to show them off..

Bring memorabilia and bell to attach to your image and a 24-26" stick ,pliers,scissors,apron (estimated $15-$20 mat fee to artist for sculptural supplies)

Lecture:The Artists Work Time one hour 15 min.
Using slides, Sha Sha will first introduce you to her approach to movement and theater as it originally came to her through sculpture, mask, and costume. She will have pictures of her early work and the steps and choices she made to come to what the work is today. She will also bring actual samples of her work for people to closely examine. Participants will be invited to ask questions.

Sha Sha Higby approaches dance through the medium of sculpture, Using the painterly manipulation of materials such as wood,silk,paper,lacquer,ceramics,and gold leaf,Higby creates ephemeral body sculptures. These painstakingly constructed "costumes," interwoven with delicate props,are the foundation for haunting performances,inspired by Indonesian,Japanese,Indian ,and Western dance traditions. Higby's trance-like movement reveal a theater of slow passion,potent with hypnotic intensity. Sha Sha Higby studied for one year in Japan. and for 5 years in Indonesia,under a Fulbright scholarship. She is a recipient of both Fulbright and Indo-American Fellowships to study in India.

Felted Mask Images
Using your intuition, movement, and poetry, the natural environment you will be led through a myriad of techniques for the construction of a three-dimensional mask. Learn to cast and mold one of Sha Sha’s masks from her molds, recast, then” paint” it with colorful wool roving,bits of fibers,rice paper, and make it into a felt mask,then add felted extensions of felt, and let your masks grow. Enter another world and create your own iconic image that comes alive as an archetypal image.

We have only a day, but it will allow you to experience how Sha Sha works and creates her mask sculptures. Participants will explore the mysteries of creativity and performance in this hands-on mask making workshop. This workshop promises many surprises – poignant, powerful, humorous, and flamboyant. Let this creative opportunity inspire other realms of your life. The beginner is welcome, as well as the seasoned artist. 415-868-2409.

For the workshop, wear loose and dark clothing pliers, scissors, any ornamental yarns, your own roving, metallic threads, trims,, small gossamer silk scraps, gauze, or other bits of interesting forms you find. Plastic

Sha Sha covers all sculptural and casting materials, crinoline, foils for decorating, dyes, patinas, silk roving, and organic materials.

Golden Archetype on a Stick part 1 10-1
415.868.2409 shasha@shashahigby.com

Masks give you an endless source of pleasure in their creation, theatrical imagery, and even as doll -like images to display. Learn to cast and mold, and recast multiple versions,and pose a theatrical image. Bring your imagination and imagine a face you would like like to mold .Cast from a mold of Sha Sha's Higby's masks, customize and sculpt. While the glues are drying we will stretch with movement and music seeing the fun Sha Sha has while she works.

$60 (includes materials) parent with child ,($95) 415-868-2409

Continuing on...

Golden Archetype on a Stick part 2 2-5
415.868.2409 shasha@shashahigby.com

Mount your cast mask onto a stick ,add wires to make structural form,sculpt,add texture,ornamental projections making your own spirit catcher .

Sha Sha will guide you through a myriad of techniques of embellishing that she uses in her costumes. See the application of gold leaf and silver leaf and foils and multi colored patinas to masks and different surfaces . We will add bells, rattles and then bring them to the performance the following night to shake golden and sparkling images . After the show is over you will be invited with your masks up onto the stage to dance and move in the atmosphere.. Bring memorabilia, natural stick,and a bell or shaker, scissors,pliers,loose clothing

For Part 2 you take Part 1 together and pay a total of $95(or parent and child $145) (includes materials) for both workshops. You must take part 1 to qualify for part 2 unless special arrangements are made. 415-868-2409 shasha@shashahigby.com

Bomaki-Pole Wrapping on Silk (1 session)

SHA SHA HIGBY

6 to 9 p.m.

Each session: $45, $36 members.

$12 materials fee plus please see info below.

This class will cover the Japanese silk dying technique of "Arashi-Shibori" or "Bomaki," translated as "Pole wrapping." Silk is wound around a cylinder, wrapped, twisted into pleats, and then dip dyed and painted. The pleated results are reminiscent of natural textures such as tree bark and snake skin, and are sculpturally gratifying. The cloth produced can be made into scarves, art work, or anything you imagine. One yard lengths of 4" ABS pipe from the hardware store recommended. If you have cotton or silk fabric, please also feel free to bring it with you to class.

BOMAKI-POLE WRAPPING ON SILK-3/3 hour sessions

This class will cover the Japanese silk dying technique of "Arashi-Shibori" or "Bomaki", translated as "Polewrapping". The silk is wound around a cylindar,wrapped, and twisted into pleats,and then dip dyed and painted with dyes. The pleated results are reminiscent of natural textures,such as tree bark and snake skin, and are sculpturally gratifying. The cloth produced can be made into scarves, artwork,or anything you imagine. During this intensive workshop, the infinite color and design possibilities of dyeing and discharging with acid dyes on silk will be explored. Contemporary interpretations on the ancient techniques of Arashi Shibori (pole wrap) and Itagimi (clamp resist) will be demonstrated. We will experiment with acid dyes and discharge on a variety of silk weaves, black as well as white and the use of found objects as mechanical resists. Beginning as well as experienced dyers welcome.

1 yard lengths of 4" ABS pipe from the hardware store recommended. $45. $10-15 payable to instructor includes materials.

See a demo online

Golden Masks on a Stick

Caste from a mold of Sha Sha's Higby's masks, customize and sculpt, mount onto a stick,add wires to make structural form,ornamental projections making your own spirit catcher .Sha Sha will guide you through a myriad of techniques of embellishing that she uses in her costumes. See the application of gold leaf and silver leaf and foils and multi colored patinas to masks and different surfaces . During breaks we will stretch with movement and music as Sha Sha works. We will add bells, rattles and then bring them to the performance the following night to shake golden and sparkling images . After the show is over you will be invited with your masks up onto the stage to dance in the atmosphere. $15-20 mat fee. Bring Memoriabilia, natural stick,and a bell or shaker, scissors,pliers,loose clothing

Slipper Theater This class will give you a taste of all the techniques Sha Sha uses in her costumes. Join Sha Sha Higby,and build a tiny set of fabulous fanciful miniature dancing shoes. Make the heals,and build the form with heat shrink fabrics,and glues from the millinery and prosthetic trades. We will then bead and decorate the body of the miniature shoe. Bring any ornamental materials,glitter,feathers, and music that you would like to go with your shoe. Bring your show to the show and place it on the stage,make a wish ,and the shoe could even be selected to participate in Sha Sha's performance approx $15 mat fee

Whirling Silken Masks

Experience Sha Sha!. Cast a silk mask from a selection of Sha Sha’s rubber molds, then fashion your own mask on top out of clay. Watch or cast yourself a negative out of rubber for your own customized mold.. The next day we will work with silk papers that we dye and collage into the surface and an encircling headdress or collar. With different methods of wiring to attach them to each to form 3 dimensional shapes. We will work with techniques Sha Sha uses in her costumes and ideas for formulating her movement and performances. Movement will inspire drawings that loosen us to create more visionary structures. At the end we will find a time make an informal performance of our masks.

For the workshop, wear loose and dark clothing, journal or colored construction paper, pastels, pliers, scissors, cardboard, masking tape, and any ornamental yarns, trims, beads, fabric scraps, sticks, or other bits of interesting forms you find.

Sha Sha covers all sculptural and casting materials, crinoline, foils for decorating, dyes, patinas, silk roving, and organic materials.

Ms. Higby teaches textile, mask-making, performance, headdress and costume construction workshops around the world. Artist,Sha Sha Higby is nationally known for her evocative and haunting performances and for the exquisite and ephemeral body sculpture she creates to move within.

Masks and their Movement

We will get an insight into creative techniques Sha Sha uses for formulating her costumes. With simple paper mask sculptures we build ourselves,we will charge and magnify whichever part of the face and body we choose to have come alive and perform for us. Through techniques of creativity with paper folding, drawing ,tearing, attaching to wires and movement we will collage together a mask and loosen up to see our body became its own sculpture that can magically grow in any direction possible. $45 /$5 materials fee.

bring your own assortment of colored paper,tracing paper,recycled paper, scissors, needle nose pliers cardboard,tape,pastels,crayons,charcoal,,glue stick,stapler,wires,maybe some music you like Space should provide CD Player. 3 Hours: all ages.$5 materials fee. Call 415-868-2409
to register for one or both of these workshops.

International performance/sculptural artist, Sha Sha Higby is known for her evocative and haunting performances. using the exquisite and ephemeral body sculpture she meticulously creates and moves within. Sha Sha studied for 1 year in Japan, 5 years in Indonesia under a Fulbright Scholarship, and 6 months in India,she has received numerous awards and grants and has been performing since 1982 internationally and throughout the U.S., Europe, the Singapore Festival of the Arts, the Hong Kong Fringe Festival, the Bali Arts Festival, and the Sydney Festival of Arts,recently at the Glass Museum,Southwest Center for Craft She has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts in Theater, and the Japan-US Friendship commission, supported by the Zellerbach Family Fund.