PATTERNS AND TONES

"The Dutchman No. 1" from The Mask Series Before there was an onslaught of Lumbersexuals , there was The Dutchman . This  seafaring Captain was  a figment of my friend Tommy!'s imagination. Tommy!'s alter ego became transformed by a mystical amulet that bestowed upon him "the powers of the sea".  With these magical powers The Dutchman saved unsuspecting children from harm and helped them to make the right choices in life. The nautical folklore of the Flying Dutchman of course dates back to the 17th century, and is filled with  superstitions dreamed up by sailors who, in my opinion, couldn't explain natural  occurrences. The oceanic lore told of a phantom ghost ship sailed by the nefarious Captain was a harbinger of doom.  Sir Walter Scott declared that the apparition of the Flying Dutchman "is considered by the mariners as the worst of all possible omens."  But I think the sightings of a ghost ship was due to loo...

"X-Ray Spectacles No. 1" from The Mask Series If there is anything that I have learned from creating this mask series, it's that I love using the element of humor in my images to convey my observations about humanity. This selections of images was created using the old paper x-ray spex . This toy gag originally marketed in the 1940's, had the pretend power of being able to see through flesh and clothing. The symbology of these glasses allowed my subject to play with the theme of a lecherous man underdressing you with his eyes! I first remember seeing an ad for x-ray spex in the back of the comic books I used to collect. Along with the chance to purchase whoopee cushions, the amazing sea-monkeys (which coincidentally were invented by Harold von Braunhut who held 195 patents, one being for the new and improved x-ray specs) and stamps, you could also for only a dollar have x-ray vision. The optical illusion behind...

"Panda Bear No. 1" from The Mask Series It's no secret that humor plays a large part in my photographs. My motto is "You Can't Fake Having Fun" and the Mask Series is a testament to having as much fun as possible while making Art. The power of humor and the barriers it tears down can be seen in all sections of life. But for me, it reveals itself most clearly in the Arts. You can hear it in the music, you can see it in the painting, you can feel it in the line of the sculpture: the pure essence of joy cannot be contrived. When I set out to create this series, I limited myself 2 rolls of 120 black and white film per subject and shot them only in natural light. Subjects were given a bag of masks and asked to choose one that most resonated with them. I have always felt that the selection of the mask revealed a little bit more about the individual: their tastes in design, form, nature and character identification. The selection process, I noticed,...

"Cotton Clowndy No. 1" from The Mask Series Nothing floats my boat more than clowns and amusement parks. I find it odd that people are afraid of clowns. I suppose I was brought up by a Mother who enjoyed getting scared by the supernatural and made me feel safe in the realm of the bizarre and unusual. There is nothing terrifying to me about a clown. Their colorful and flamboyant cloths coupled with face paint in exaggerated facial forms draws me in and gives me a thrill. Cotton Clowndy is the 6th set of images from The Mask Series combining the absurdity and playfulness of a clown captured at an  amusement park,   Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier to be specific. What was most interesting about this shoot was the person behind the mask. A terribly shy person, Clowndy surprised me with her enthusiasm and extroverted yet awkward gestures during the shoot.  Her selection of the clown mask at first confused me since I thought she wouldn't be able to pul...

"Here Kitty, Kitty! No. 1" from The Mask Series Cats aren't known to love the water but this tiger in leopard print doesn't seem to mind once she dips her toe in. This lovely set of images was my ticket in to becoming a fashion and events photographer for the LA Weekly from 2000-2005. "Here Kitty, Kitty!"  is  the 11th set of images from  The Mask Series .  As always, two limited edition prints  are available to purchase through my  Etsy store .  In celebration of this being my 100th blog post , the first 5 people who email me their name and address will receive one 8 x10 print of any image they choose from The Mask Series. Meow! Julie Green March 14, 2015 Subscribe to our mailing list "Here Kitty, Kitty! No. 2" from  The Mask Series "Here Kitty, Kitty! No. 3"  from  The Mask Series "Here Kitty, Kitty! No. 4"  from  The Mask Series "Here Kitty, Kitty! No. 5"  fro...

"Cemetery Crow No. 1" from  The Mask Series "Cemetery Crow"  is the 4th set of images I shot for  The Mask Series . With Hollywood Forever Cemetery as our backdrop, this stylish little crow pirouetted around the grounds. The symbology of the crow in a graveyard even in the daytime sends a chill up your spine. From the minds of this creator extraordinaire came these hand made leather props that set the tenor for this photo shoot and was a perfect addition to my Mask Series.  Two limited edition prints from this set are available through my  Etsy store . Happy Summer Solstice, Julie Pavlowski Green June 21, 2014 Subscribe to our mailing list   "Cemetery Crow No. 2" from  The Mask Series "Cemetery Crow No. 3" from  The Mask Series "Cemetery Crow No. 4" from  The Mask Series "Cemetery Crow No. 5" from  The Mask Series "Cemetery Crow No. 6" from  ...

"Space Couple No. 1" from The Mask Series "Space Couple" is the 3rd set of images I shot for  The Mask Series . Their iconic space helmets were a perfect foil for these subjects, allowing us to explore themes and personalities of traditional and nontraditional astronauts and space rangers. The first question I'm always asked when people view  The Mask Series  is "who is the person behind the mask?" The desire to know the identity of the subject comes up over and over again. My attempt at allowing subjects to become universal iconic characters, hiding their own personality, gives them freedom from the constraints of their individual personas. Two limited edition prints from this set are available through my  Etsy store . Julie Pavlowski Green May 17, 2014 Subscribe to our mailing list   "Space Couple No. 2" from  The Mask Series "Space Couple No. 3"  from  The Mask Series "Space Coupl...

"Hoodoo Man No. 1" from The Mask Series As the nights grow darker and the veil that separates the living from the dead becomes more transparent, the Hoodoo Man awaits you. Time to whip out the Ouija board if you DARE! This Hoodoo Man will help you translate what the specters have come to convey and share with you their tales from the other side. He just needs to know, hoodoo you love ? Hoodoo Man is the  17th set of images from  The Mask Series . As always, two limited edition prints  are available to purchase through my  Etsy store .  Get the Hoodoo Man Blues ! Julie Green October 24, 2015 Subscribe to our mailing list "Hoodoo Man No. 2" from  The Mask Series "Hoodoo Man No. 4" from  The Mask Series "Hoodoo Man No. 5" from  The Mask Series "Hoodoo Man No. 6" from  The Mask Series "Hoodoo Man No. 12" from  The Mask Series

" Muscle Man  No. 1" from The Mask Series This Jazz age mask lent  mystique  to this Sheik's muscular stature. His spirit of excess reflects the time period this person chose to embody.  Muscle Man  is  the 10th set of images from  The Mask Series .  As always, two limited edition prints  are available to purchase through my  Etsy store .  Julie Green January 24, 2015 " Muscle Man  No. 2" from  The Mask Series " Muscle Man  No. 3" from  The Mask Series "Muscle Man No. 4" from  The Mask Series " Muscle Man  No. 5" from  The Mask Series " Muscle Man  No. 6" from   The Mask Series