I have really missed seeing people. Even though I’m mostly introverted, I like making those in-person connections. Virtually communicating everything has been a lot to adjust to, and some things get left behind. Clearly, it’s been awhile since I wrote anything here—or kept my site up-to-date. As the pandemic is getting more under control, it’s exciting for me to break that pause with a show announcement!
From May 7 to July 3 of 2021, you can see a whole range of new work from myself and fellow mask maker Matt Fagan at the beautiful Art Center East galleries in La Grande, Oregon. The show is called MISSING YOUR FACE: Masks of Location, Isolation, and Transformation. If you’re in eastern Oregon, there will be live viewing possible (bring your own masks!) as well as virtual walkthrough experience for those further away.
November started out strong! Reveal/Conceal, my retrospective exhibit of 19 years of theatre masks opened alongside A Universal Feeling, the international collaboration I’ve been developing over the past two years, at the beginning of the month.
It was a really special night to share with the public—as well as some collaborators—and to have conversations about the work they were seeing.
Sooooooooo, I’m happy to announce that there will be another opportunity for you to see the work, hear about the process, and ask any questions you may have.
6:30pm Friday, December 6 Chehalem Cultural Center 415 E Sheridan St, Newberg, OR 97132
It’s been an amazing 5 months of work on A Universal Feeling! January through March were heavy on the initial creation of the six expressions of emotion. The last two months have been a heavy lift—with many volunteers—of creating the iterations of the masks in papier-mâché.
Throughout the making process, I also had to stagger the
shipping process to ensure everyone would get their mask at the right time. The
process began, naively enough, with heading to a local shipping franchise. And
I learned some things.
Lesson 1:Shipping is calculated not only based on weight, but on dimensions. Nothing too surprising there. They have to account for how much space a thing takes up when sending it to destinations around the world.
Lesson 2:Size matters. A roughly 12” cube package, weighing less than 1.5 pounds, will still be charged as weighing 8 pounds. A little surprising.
Lesson 3: Two identical packages traveling to different locations will be charged differently. Of course. But while the shipping cost may vary by a few dollars between domestic locations (say roughly $24 one way to Arizona and $33 one way to New York City) that shipping cost will explode when leaving the country… up to 10 times as much! One way! For the same exact object and service!
Lesson 4: Learn where your research and budget have shortcomings. Strategize to fix.
Lesson 5:Ask for help when you need it. It turns out I already know some people with experience with shipping art internationally. They can advise on how to find the right price.
Lesson 6:Membership has privileges. While investigating the benefits of creating an account with a shipping company, you may be informed that you will be eligible for discounts of up to 45% off!! Hello, affordability!
Lesson 7:Pay to Play. When the shipping company learns you may not be shipping at a predictable and consistent volume, but are instead working on a large art project, they may not actually follow through with setting up an account.
Lesson 8: When time is running short, you may need to bite the bullet. Those masks have got to get to the people, and a little thing like cost can’t get in the way. Just reshuffle that budget, take a pay cut, and make it happen.
Lesson 9: Surprise is, by definition, surprising. Expect surprises anyway. Like when import taxes are charged despite begin the package being under a de minimis value. Or like when VAT charges are assessed because you have sent a “gift” even though you made it clear in customs paperwork that it was not a “gift”. Or like when you assume you have just prepaid to have a package sent a to the person to whom you addressed it, there may be an office who informs you that you have essentially only paid to send it to the country (or if lucky, to the city) of the recipient and they will be expected to pay a “handling charge” to have it delivered to their house.
Lesson 10:Ask for help when you need it (reprise).
Lesson 11: Remember that every experience is new information, and the wise person learns from it. And also, record all your experiences so that your future self knows what questions to ask when attempting a large international collaboration. 🙂
Lesson 12:Gratitude is key. There are so many wonderful collaborators, generous financial supporters, and emotionally supportive friends who keep this wheel turning with enthusiasm, curiosity and humor. Totally worth it.
I’m looking for friendly volunteers who have an interest in making and a sensitivity to detail — and– who think it would be fun to do some papier-mâché in community with others. You’ll be helping make copies of some emotion masks for an upcoming art installation later this year.
Papier-Mâché Volunteer Hours
Seeking 3 to 4 hour commitment. Most days are 6 person limit.
Tuesday, March 26…………1-5 or 6-10 Thursday, March 28……….1-5 or 6-10 Saturday, March 30………..All Day
Sunday, March 31…………….12-4 Wednesday, April 3………….1-5 or 6-10 Friday, April 5…………………..All day Saturday, April 6………………All day — FULL
Sunday, April 7………………….1-6 — FULL Monday, April 8………………..1-9:30 Wednesday, April 10………..All day
Monday, April 15……………..5-9:30 Tuesday, April 16……………………..9-9 –FULL Friday, April 19………………..9-6:30 Saturday, April 20…………………2:30-6:30 Sunday, April 21………….1-9
Friday, April 26…………….9-9 Saturday, April 27…………9-6 Sunday, April 28……………1-9
Tuesday, April 30………….9-9
ADDED DATE! Saturday, May 11………….9-6
Papier–mâché (1753) from French papier–mâché, literally “chewed paper,” from Old French papier “paper” + mâché “compressed, mashed”, from past participle of mâcher, literally “to chew,” from Late Latin masticare.
I’ve often found that people aren’t quite sure what I mean when I say I’m a mask maker. Chris Hatcher of Field Guide Films gives a terrific peek behind the curtains in this video.
Earlier this summer, I posted about my study with the Sartori in Abano Terme, a small city of 19,000 near the larger city of Padova. Here are a few photos of the rest of that work!
From our initial designs on paper, we sculpted our masks in clay. Then we made a mold, did a test run in carta pesta (an Italian papier mache), and made modifications as necessary. We then used all of our research to sculpt the wooden matrix, which was used as the base to shape our leather. This entire process took a month. It’s such a wonderful experience to be able to take the time to concentrate on a project like this without other pressures.
After finishing the masks, we met with Giorgio Bongiovanni of the Piccolo Teatro di Milano to investigate the performance of commedia masks, and later, our own. Fabian Gysling of Ècole Gysling was also there to help us find our characters and play in the masks. The slideshow above is from the public demonstration of our work. Luckily, the theater was air-conditioned.
A Two Week Interval
After completing the Sartori workshop at the CMSG, I had a little time to kill before my next workshop. I spent an extra day sketching masks at the Museo Internazionale della Maschera Amleto e Donato Sartori in Abano Terme. Next, I went to a farmhouse in Chiesanuova to visit my classmate Barbara, and together we traveled to San Miniato to visit mask maker Matteo Destro. Afterwards I traveled north to Malcesine, where I visited costume designer Fabio Toblini. I regrouped with friends to see Marmolada in the Dolomiti mountain range (a UNESCO World Heritage site). Finally, I explored historic Roma. It wasn’t built in a day, and you certainly can’t see it in three (especially in the summer heat). However, I was able to strategize a tour of Caravaggio paintings and some awesome historic buildings (e.g. the Basilica San Clemente) with the kind help of the friends and family of a fellow Portlander! (Molte grazie a Arturo, Anna, Riccardo, Guya, and Francesco!)
Here’s a slideshow sampler of my travels!
Galluzzo, Toscana, from the bus
Visiting Barbara
The farmhouse in Chiesanuova
Action shot
Abandoned art studio
A moto in San Miniato
From the train station at Peschiera, the bus takes about 80 minutes to reach Malcesine
A shot from the bus along the lakeside
Malcesine moonlight
Fabio gives me a tour of the castello.
Mountains girding Lago di Garda, the deepest in Italy.
Terra cotta roofs.
Beachfront.
Me at the lake.
Lago di Garda was a strategic spot.
Malcesine
Lago di Garda
Playing at the beach.
The road to Marmolada.
The first sight of mountains.
Coffee stop
Lunch break with selfie stick
Serrai di Sottoguda
Cooling off in the gorge
Richard + Waterfall
Tyrol: a blend of Italy & Austria
Serauta: Two gondola cars up from the ground
Military cave from WWI
Dolomiti
Dolomiti + Richard
Serauta
Alpaca
Serauta
Sassolungo
Alleghe
Alleghe
Alleghe
The train ride to Roma, just in the nick of time.
Paintings on the tracks
So many winged skulls in Roman churches.
Via di Ripetta
Fontana di Trevi
Fontana di Trevi
Piazza del Popolo
Corso del Rinascimento
Piazza Navona
The Pantheon
Sainted in the Pantheon
I took a self guided tour of Caravaggio paintings in Roma.
“Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius” by Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Villa Borghese
Villa Borghese
Detail of a structure in Villa Borghese
View from Passeggiata del Pincio
Gelateria Fata Morgana
Cono con due gusti
The Colosseo – named for the large statue of Nero that used to be just outside.
The Roman Fora
A street near the Vatican–it was starting to rain and I wanted to find a cafe.
Quartiere Flaminio
Quartiere Flaminio
Altare della Patria
Familie Flöz Sommer Akademie
My other study was a two-week course in mask performance and the creation of performance material in ensemble with the Berlin-based company Familie Flöz. Our classes were held in the Abbazia San Giusto, a refurbished monastery on the outskirts of the small town of Tuscania. When I told people in Italy where I was going, they (reasonably) assumed I was mispronouncing “Toscana” (aka the large region we call “Tuscany”). It only confuses the matter that Tuscania is quite near the border of Toscana.
Abano Terme, in the Veneto Region
Tuscania, in the Lazio Region
Italy, In the California Region
The Familie Flöz is pretty unique. They create original, wordless, character-centered mask performances that often play in a clown-like sense of comedy. (Check out a short film of one of their first shows in 1995, and also a trailer for their show that just swept the Edinburgh Fringe off its feet). I was very curious to find out how they devise their work and the techniques they employ to bring these full-face masks to life.
Though some students came to study how to build masks, and others came for performance training, we all began the work together each morning with a movement class. What an amazing and perfect way to start the day! Apparently birds thought so too, because they would frequently find their way into the studio—screens on windows were rare—and take a long time to find their exit.
Courtyard of the Abbazia San Giusto
A view from the tower.
The understructures for mask making were made of flower pots.
The first meal together.
Marcel explores his character through a walk outdoors.
Evening by the pool.
Me with some of the company.
Sunset over tomato fields.
Part of the molding process utilized silicone.
The first four days were conceived as a quick introduction to all of the subjects we could study more in depth beginning on day five. Not only was it a great way to survey the kind of work we would do, it also gave us an opportunity to see which of the company members had a teaching style that worked for us. In the end, I focused on Alexander Technique & Neutral Mask, Character Building in Full Face Mask, and Devising & Directing Mask Theater.
We spent a lot of time both in and out of the mask as ways to approach building both characters and scenes.Character interviews, partnered movement studies, and improvisations all flipped between these two modes. Another important idea in the beginning of the work was to remove the pressure of producing something—this pressure often only stifles the breath of creativity, and the relative value of a given improvisation can be determined the day after.
Day Off! We went to Tuscania
On the way we saw the donkeys at the lavender farm
Another monastery!
Q&A night with the company. Also the night there was a fire and the electricity went out.
The mask I worked with to devise a scene with my group
Daily watermelon break!
A shy duo encounters visitors on the final night.
Curtain call for all the scenes performed on the final night of the workshop
The mask making group trying on their new creations.
We ended the workshop with a large celebration. This included masked characters walking around the grounds of the Abbey as visitors entered, followed by a number of short scenes —including the one our group created about a composer finding inspiration in his everyday surroundings. Then, of course, lots of food and dancing!
When I thought back over my experience, I thought a lot about what conditions made for my best work over the summer. None of these are necessarily surprising, but the combination of these things was important.
Doing one thing at a time
Working in community
Limiting distractions
Being in a supportive culture
Proactive learning: pursuing questions vs waiting to receive wisdom
Listening to my intuition
Daily movement practice / Intentional connection with the body
Remaining emotionally available
Exchange with other cultures
The same might be said of life in general.
Final Dance Party at Abbazia San Giusto
Many thanks ! The study with Familie Flöz was made possible in part by a professional development grant from :
Hello all! I’ve been blog-silent, but studio-busy… It’s been a great year of building shows, creating mask pieces for museums, selling masks at Mardi Gras, and making connections with mask lovers, performers and teachers all over. I’m pleased to announce another mask making workshop in Portland. See details below.
—Tony
Design, sculpt, cast and paint your own mask!
Find new sources of creative inspiration, learn about the qualities that promote dynamic onstage play, and discover techniques for shaping a well-engineered character mask. You will leave the workshop with a plaster cast of your face and one painted mask.
“This workshop was really fun and informative, great for a beginner. I’d take it again- Tony is a great teacher!” — 2015 Mask Workshop Participant
WHO:
This workshop is excellent for actors and performers, costume designers and mask enthusiasts at all levels of experience. Ages 18+
WHEN:
6–10 pm Friday, April 29
10am–7 pm Saturday, April 30
10am–7 pm Sunday, May 1
There will be an hour lunch break on Saturday and Sunday
WHY:
Masks are awesome! Though they obscure part or all of the face, masks reveal so much more. Masks are powerful objects that inspire character and transform the people that wear them. They have a part in nearly every culture of the world, they show up in holidays like Halloween and Mardi Gras, and they are one of the original elements of theater as we know it today.
“I’d never realized the depth of faces before. I’ve started noticing expressions in a 3D way, and also the amazing contours of different faces… I now feel confident in trying my hand at making masks- before I would’ve ended up wasting tons of time trying to figure out the basic, and now I have a cast of my face and some good principles.”—2015 Mask Workshop Participant
WHERE:
The Mask Studio, NE Portland
TUITION:
$300. Cost for materials is included. A $50 non-refundable deposit is required upon registration. Check, PayPal, Square, Chase QuickPay accepted.
If you register by Monday, April 18, secure the early-bird price of $275.
TO ENROLL: Email me at tony_fuemmeler@yahoo.com for more information and with any questions about the workshop.
ABOUT TONY:
Over the past 13 years, Tony Fuemmeler has designed masks for multiple productions on the
West Coast and across the country. Locally, he has designed and built masks for productions like the Drammy Award-winning The Snowstorm (Many Hats), The King Stag (Lewis and Clark College), The Velvet Sky, The Adding Machine (Theatre Vertigo), The Storm in the Barn (Oregon Children’s Theatre), and Alice in Wonderland (Nomadic Theatre).
Tony began working with masks at the University of Kansas in a production of Dario Fo’s Accidental Death of an Anarchist. After graduation, he spent a year with In The Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre (Minneapolis), and then pursued further training with Bruce Marrs and Joan Schirle at the Dell’Arte International School (Blue Lake, California). In 2014, Tony traveled to Ubud, Bali, to study with master mask carver Nyoman Setiawan, and then to Mumbai, India as a volunteer mask maker for The Maya Project (a collaboration of Teach For India and Artists Striving to End Poverty). Tony is based in Portland, Oregon.
This show was produced at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR, and designed by Professor Michael Olich. I worked as the movement consultant for the actors and as an assistant designer/ builder of various mask and puppet items.
Seven months before the show would open, we met to share broad concepts, discuss exciting opportunities, and forecast potential hurdles. At this early point, it became clear that some things needed to be tried in a rough form to solidify the approach of the design.
Parrot puppet
One such element was the parrot. The first task was to figure out from where it would be manipulated. The parrot couldn’t be designed properly without that key information.
(click on each photo to see full size and captions)
The basic concept was tested in scrap foam, construction paper, masking tape and bamboo
Testing motion with upgraded materials
Feathers were cut from craft foam to match Durandarte’s color palette
A spray bottle and styrofoam ball were the understructure.
The aim of the design was to echo the elements in the human version of the character while providing a clear sense of focus for the puppet
A second parrot (with folded wings) for the scenes after the parrot was caught.
After trying a few options, including operating it from above, the most feasible and satisfying conclusion was to puppeteer from the stage deck.
At first I thought I might have to trigger the flapping of the wings through a mechanism on the control rod, but using gravity to activate the foam wings was pretty satisfying.
Stag & Bear Masks
The show was not cast until September, so many issues of scale had to be determined at that time. To know how big to make the mask, it was better to know the size of the body supporting that mask.
I thought topographically to create the individual pattern pieces for each layer of the stag mask.
One of the early trial material was this translucent coroplast.
Actors working in rehearsal masks are great sources of information as a builder.
An early test of the rings had them suspended by thin gauge wire. Eventually we used scrim for the dual purpose of masking and connection.
The best solution for both stag and bear characters was a helmet mask—the stags were mounted on construction helmets, and the bear was, itself, a helmet.
I made trial pieces to test my construction methods.
Eventually, a bandsaw was a better solution for cutting out all the pieces. Exactos remained important for the connector slots, however.
Mask attached to helmet.
The layers of bear, from front to back.
I made this larger rehearsal mask for bear, which also allowed me try out a few different attachement methods.
The final bear used coroplast lined with metallic fabric, and scrim covered the open mouth.
The script requires an enchanted statue that comes to life and laughs at key moments in the story. The designer had a clear idea of the look of the statue and a general sense of intended scale early in the process. Once the part was cast, I could determine measurements that would allow the actor’s face to be seen and permit her arms to reach the control mechanisms.
Strategizing internal structure
The scenery shop provided the first step , a steel ladder and on a wooden base, with two metal support ovals.
To help us all visualize, I constructed a hasty mockup in cardboard. It helped me strategize how I would eventually use the fabric-covered foam to create the cape.
My friend Bill helps by patterning the Y20 foam
Fine-tuning the contours
Anchoring the hood of the cape
The third strategy for hand construction worked. They were designed in a way parallel to “topographic” approach to the stags and bear.
Extra supports and surfaces were needed as I listened to the materials I was using.
The order of operations was difficult—and necessary—to determine, much like constructing a garment in a costume shop. The pieces were unwieldy, so it was very nice to have assistance from student workers.
Waiting backstage
Even then, it was a challenge! I was using many materials and adhesives that were relatively new to me, and doing so in a short amount of time. We would joke frequently about how every single solution created two new problems. It was a relief to have the advice and help of both my friends in the puppetry community and also my collaborators on the show as I learned about making this statue.
It’s amazing to me how much expression can be manifested with just a few movements. The only movements available to the actor were the flex in the statue’s hands and those of her own face, but she was able to find great levels and variety to play.
I had an amazing summer of work, which has lead right into some great projects this fall. I have been so occupied with doing, I haven’t had much time to share.. so here are just a few quick highlights!
The Creation Story: Lincoln Center Education & Carmen DeLavallade
After taking part in a second summer of Lincoln Center Education’s Teaching Artist Training program this July, I had an excellent opportunity to put those new and exciting ideas directly in to practice. Working for LCE at the nearby Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center, I lead experiential workshops to introduce a group of seniors and a group of youth to the immense body of work of the late renaissance man Geoffrey Holder.
Photo: Šara Stranovsky
Using found materials to create costumes. Photo: Šara Stranovsky
Looking one of Geoffrey Holder’s pieces after making some art together. Photo: Šara Stranovsky
Then we moved on to the next phase of our work, in collaboration with the wonderful and imaginative Chris Green. Chris designed a number of puppet images (based on the work of Holder) to be used in a performance of The Creation Story by Holder’s wife and longtime collaborator, Carmen DeLavallade. Working with Chris, Carmen, and her team, I engaged the students in finding the movement to bring each of these images to life.
Building ensemble with the cast. Photo: Šara Stranovsky
A bear mask I made from a sieve. Photo: Lucy Gram
Exploring the movement possibilities with the students. Photo: Šara Stranovsky
Students did research to find the best way to bring the pinwheel paper cup bird puppets to life. They determined the criteria for success, and we used that information to coach them for the final performance. Photo: Šara Stranovsky
In rehearsal! Photo: Lucy Gram
Researching the performative nature of a rainbow: How does it move? How does it feel? Photo: Šara Stranovsky
Glittery fish puppets. Photo: Šara Stranovsky
Taking a rest from flight. Photo: Šara Stranovsky
Carmen DeLavallade, surrounded by birds, flowers, and the sun at the Damrosch Park Amphitheatre. Photo: Lucy Gram
In just one week, our ensemble did so much! Here’s a shot from the performance of The Creation Story. Photo: Šara Stranovsky
Chris and I with the generous and legendary Carmen DeLavallade after the performance. Photo: Lucy Gram
The youth staging a post-show bird attack! Okay, I egged them on a little 🙂
Hagoromo: Wendy Whelan at BAM
Right after that project, I was lucky enough to continue working with Chris as a rehearsal puppeteer in the early stages of development of Hagoromo. The show, premiering at the BAM Next Wave Festival in November 2015, is a huge collaborative undertaking. It stars Wendy Whelan, former principal dancer at the New York City Ballet, and features musicians, puppets, a mezzo-soprano, tenor, and a large chorus. Check out the NY Times article!
Discovering the way for three people to move as one being.
The first steps are… literally that. We had to uncover the way to do a basic walk before we could learn to dance.
The story is adaptation of a Japanese Noh play. For this multidisciplinary opera, there are two life-size puppets based on body casts of the incredibly talented Wendy Whelan. Our initial job was to work out the kinks.
Both doing and watching are necessary to learn how to successfully bring a puppet to life.
The dance of the puppeteers is a separate, but equally interesting, dance to that of the puppet itself.
Wendy and Chris discussing the fine points of puppet capability. Many of our rehearsal discoveries lead to small tweaks in the design.
It’s a small puppet world! One of the other awesome rehearsal puppeteers, Katie Melby, had previously performed with my talented sister-in-law, Katie Kaufmann, in the Twin Cities!
