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Mission

Behind the Mask Decor is dedicated to the proposition that owning culturally distinctive, handcrafted goods shouldn’t be only for a privileged few who can travel to the far corners of the world. We’ve collected distinctive hand crafted decorative masks that will enrich your home. Whether you’re in the early stages of “feathering your nest” or looking for a special accent item, our mission is to bring you distinctive pieces that turn your home into a place that’s a reflection of special you!

Decorative Masks Make a Statement

Furnishing an apartment or house to make it a home that reflects your passions and interests takes time and effort. Even then, you can run from store to store without finding that distinctive, that unique piece that “makes a statement” or that speaks to your interests and dreams. Behind the Mask Decor offers handcrafted artisan pieces from some of the lesser traveled corners of the world. We hope you’ll find the distinctive mask that transforms your home from a place to simply escape the world to one that inspires, excites your senses and creates a sense of place all your own.

Virtually Connected Or Connected to Nature

The digital age has brought us HDTV, instant messaging, cell phones, email and the web. We receive high definition images on our computers and television screens as digital displays flash to show us modem speeds and to let us know that we’re still online and “still connected.”What we’ve lost in the flashes of blinking LED displays is our “connection” to nature and our history filled the customs and traditions of our ancestors. Masks are an expression of an earlier time when lives were intricately tied to the earth that natures us, to the changing of the seasons, to planting and harvesting, to life and death and a time when generational families celebrated and remembered their ancestral roots together.

Maybe that’s one of the reasons that masks intrigue and mesmerize us. They virtually command us to Stop, Look and to think about earlier civilizations. Masks are expressions of an artisan who, using readily available materials, simple tools, his hands and most of all, his imagination, created artistic masks that are works of art. That’s why decorative masks still calls to us today as we move through life in a world of glass, steel and plastic and LED displays. They connect us to our past.

The “Softer” Side of Decorative Masks

For many people, the words “decorative mask” probably conjures up images of fierce warriors and places far, far away. But there’s so much more to the world of decorative masks and so many ways they can be incorporated into home decorating schemes.

Masks Showcase Beauty
There are many wonderful decorative masks from Africa and the Indonesia island of Bali that celebrate beautiful women, motherhood and their cultures’ goddesses. These are masks of elegant faces, beautiful headdresses and soft, compassionate expressions. They convey beauty in any language or culture. Click here to see some of the decorative masks specifically selected for Behind the Mask Décor for their depiction and celebration of beauty.

Masks Honor Family, Relationships
You’ve heard the statement that “You can have all the money in the world; but if you don’t have love, you have nothing at all.” Many of the masks featured on Behind the Mask Décor speak to the importance of love and relationships, long marriages, motherhood and faithful wives. Click here to see for yourself.

Guided by the Stars and Nature
Our ancient ancestors were guided by the nighttime sky. Their readings of the sky told them when it was time to plant and time to reap. They praised their gods for their rich harvests and paid homage to nature and the gods with the masks they created and used in celebrations of thanksgiving.

Masks for Animal Lovers
Kids fascinated by the zoo and animals will love the animal masks we’ve included in our selection for Behind the Mask décor. We have masks of cute koala bears, giraffes, zebras, dogs and more. You can create your child’s own menagerie in his or her bedroom.

Masks Run the Emotional Gamut
Life has its happy times and its sad times, its ying and its yang. The world of decorative masks depicts that emotional gamut. You’ll find happy faces, sad faces, caricature faces and everything in between. See for yourself.

Game Room, Bedroom, Any Room
No matter what your particular interest, you can probably find a decorative mask of that emotion or expression. For example, create a celebration or occasion theme for a game room or family room with masks from the Carnaval tradition. It will be a bright, colorful, fun-filled expression.

Or you can give your loved ones a mask celebrating the sun and the moon and the stars at night. In short, there are masks for just about every emotion and interest.

Mask Fun Facts

Actors Are Hypocrites, According to the Greeks
The word “hypocrite” means two faced and derives from the Greek word “hypocites” which literally means actor. It all stems from the fact that the ancient Greeks loved theater. Their plays were presented in large open air arenas, and masks were used to create exaggerated expressions that could be seen by the audience. Since actors wore masks they were automatically two faced.

Don Your Mask, Let’s Go for a Ride
The Ancient Romans marched off to war wearing masks for protection. They also wore masks for protection from tree branches when they road horseback throough the countryside. Oh, oh, look out for that branch!

The Mask Makers Guild
The craftsmanship and artistry of mask makers was recognized with guild status along with other important trades that had guild status during Medieval times.

What’s the oldest European festival tradition?
Carnivale is one of the oldest and most enchanting of all European festivals, dating back to the 11^th century in Venice.

Do you know what the word Carnivale means?
You’re probably tempted to say fun, and while that’s true, the word Carnival means farewell (vale) to meat (carne). Masks became an integral part of the Carnival tradition as Christianity spread through Europe and was integrated into its many cultures.

At Least Five Good Reasons To Decorate with Masks

It seems a shame, but masks aren’t widely used in American home decorating. It’s a shame because . . .

1. Compared to the prints, lithographs and paintings used as accent pieces in most home décor schemes, masks bring dimensionality to a wall simply because they are three-dimensional. That third dimension is the surface for intricate carvings of faces, headdresses and other features.

2. We live in a world of mass-produced “things” that are made by machines and that roll of production lines into “big box” retail stores by the truckload. It’s no wonder that everywhere you shop, you find the “same old, same old.” In comparison, the masks featured on Behind the Mask Décor are hand-carved and hand-crafted from exotic woods or formed from paper or clay. Many of the artisans whose works are featured on Behind the Mask Décor are descended from generations of masks carvers. Their works are infused with nature, tradition, and pride in their artistry and heritage.

3. Even if you’re not a crafts person yourself, you can still take pleasure in looking at the handcrafted work of an artisan who has turned a piece of nature into a handcrafted work of art.

4. Masks can be great conversation pieces when guests visit. Tell them a little bit of the story behind your mask or your collection, why it appealed to you and you’ll have a great conversation starter.

5. Masks are great decorative accent pieces both in contemporary and more traditional decorating schemes. They can be bold “statement” pieces that complement sleek, contemporary furniture lines and colors, or they can add visual interest or a touch of the unexpected to a more traditional setting.

Those are just five good reasons to put decorative masks to work on your walls. Tell us why you like to decorate with masks.