Alchemy through Art and Mask Work

"A mask may reveal rather than conceal, as it bridges the gap between nature and spirit."

JOSEPH CAMPBELL

Mask work has been a core part of my practice as an art psychotherapist for many years, both in individual sessions and in group therapeutic work.

The very nature of mask is its inherent ability to allow the wearer look deep within at inner processes, it is a mediator between the inner and outer worlds. In this way masks offer the potential in art therapy to become a mediating bridging function between conscious and unconscious processes, all the time serving the embodied imagined identity.

My introduction to mask work began in 2008 at a BodySoul Intensive with Jungian analyst Marion Woodman in Einsiedeln, an experience that profoundly influenced my creative and therapeutic path. My Master’s thesis in Art Therapy focused on the transformative benefits of masks in art therapy.

Mask work invites an encounter with mystery, it’s a vehicle to see through and reflect back, the unknown becomes more identifiable through relationship to the mask. The energy in the mask is consolidated and made visible bringing the mystery alive.

It is a fluid, ever-changing encounter that taps into psyche, encouraging change and movement, bringing vitality and the potential for new life.

The work unfolds through image, imagination and reflection within a carefully held therapeutic space. Each encounter with the mask is unique, allowing personal meaning to emerge gradually through the creative process itself.