Artist Statement
James Melville Corey
January 12, 2025

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I am a mask maker from Seattle who has made over 1500 masks since March 2019! The mask making process every day allows me to turn my anxiety, fear, and self-doubt daily into something true, beautiful, and good.

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Every time I begin making a mask I invite all the angels of Heaven, and my angel team - those I love who have passed - and ask them to help me make the next mask. In my art mind it always feel like they do! 

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This practice emerged out of a confluence of events in 2018: A Commedia dell’Arte mask making workshop in Florence, my entry into Jungian psychotherapy, and a necessity to take my hypomania, or extra energy, and channel it into a creative outlet.

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In Jungian psychotherapy I learned about the ego, the mask we show others. I learned about the shadow, that which we hide from others. I experienced the process of holding my shadow up into the light of personal reflection and witnessing it, which helped make me whole. These masks are a physical manifestation of my individuation.

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And it continues. Each mask is a new spirit. Each surprises me. I can't wait to see where this goes.

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My message is to ask everyone to figure out their daily creative outlet and just do it. Every day. Something like that can help set us all free. 

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Let's keep creating in any way we can, do it daily, and create our new futures!

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Love, Jim​​

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James Melville Corey

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Jamescoreyart.com

Instagram: jamescoreyartdotcom