My wood was very hard and stubborn. I soon realized that it
was my wood teaching me not to give up so easily. I know hard work pays off.
When I first started my mask I drew it on a piece of paper, then on the wood,
now looking at my mask, it has changed from the drawing. ItÕs like I was the
one carving but it had a mind and spirit of its own. The carving was tough
but I think it paid off. It was so hard to sit there day after day and carve,
some days I would just stare at it, and others I would carve so hard I would
get blisters! I put blood, sweat and tears into my mask. My design took as
long to come up with as finishing the carving did. Now that IÕm finished I
realize that my design is partially there. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,
and personally I think it did not turn out that bad! When I worked on my mask
I felt better, the mask relieved my stress. Other times it made me feel depressed
because it was so far from being finished. I think, in the long run I learned
a lot of techniques and spiritual meaning.