Monster Or Masterpiece

05/02/2026

Thrilled to bits with how this project turned out.🐘🐘

02/02/2026

“Work in progress… but I’m quietly excited about where this is heading.”

Love black & grey.

31/01/2026

6 hours in to creating this piece, and we still ain't done.

Using Zest it blend solvent to break down the pencil ✏️. Ready for the next coat. Bad Girl Delta Blues on the ones and twos.


Thai



Rebecca Taylor

6 hours to 11 minutes to and we still ain't done. Another coat of colour to go 🖼

14/09/2025

✨ The Symbology of the Gigaku Mask ✨

The Gigaku mask is one of the oldest theatrical masks in Japan, used in Gigaku—an ancient masked dance-drama introduced from the Asian continent around the 7th century. Though the performance itself faded from practice centuries ago, the masks remain powerful symbols of cultural and spiritual expression.

🎭 Symbolic Meaning

Transformation of the Self – Masks were never just decoration; they were vessels that allowed performers to embody gods, spirits, animals, and archetypal figures. Wearing the Gigaku mask dissolved the everyday identity, opening a channel between human and divine.

Sacred Theatre – Gigaku performances often carried Buddhist themes, retelling cosmic stories through humor, drama, and ritual. The mask symbolized entry into a sacred narrative that was larger than the individual.

Duality of Human Nature – Many Gigaku masks are exaggerated—grotesque, comical, or fierce. This distortion was not for mockery but to mirror the spiritual truth that beneath human appearances lie deeper essences: wisdom, folly, lust, compassion, fear, and transcendence.

Guardianship & Protection – Some masks represented lion-like creatures (shishi), protectors against evil spirits. Their very presence in ritual was believed to ward off misfortune and invite blessings.

🌸 Why It Still Matters
Even today, the Gigaku mask reminds us of the universal role of masks in human culture: they are portals, mirrors, and protectors. They speak to our timeless need to step outside ourselves in order to connect with something greater.

If you have read this far, Thank you, and please consider liking my art. My Ego would love that and thanks you in advance 🤩

13/09/2025

🐌 Snail’s on the move, taking its whole house with it. Sketch is up for grabs — proceeds go straight to the cat food fund. 🐾

05/09/2025

I was today years old, that I realised that 'Monster or Masterpiece decodes' can spell 'Sam's Codpiece', an that made me laugh more than I guess it should have.

Here's some renaissance art for your viewing pleasure 🍆🤣