philip hulsey

Masks are as ancient as human culture itself. They play an important role in religious rituals and are believed to evoke spirits or to represent deities. Even in modern-day cultures, they still retain their mystery and their potency. Just put on a mask during Mardi Gras in New Orleans and experience the emergence of your alter ego.

As the creator of Trail Spirits, I endeavor to instill that spiritual or mystic quality in my masks. Each piece is unique, with its own identity. Their themes embody various aspects of the natural world, sometimes touching on mythology or the supernatural.

The masks are made from gourds and natural objects found in the wilderness, mostly while hiking, hence their name, Trail Spirits. The non-traditional use of gourds as masks deviates from their traditional use as utilitarian objects or folk art, and the use of recognizable natural materials collected locally lends an Appalachian character to Trail Spirits.

I am a native of Chincoteague Island, Virginia, where I grew up a nature lover. My close connection with nature has played an important role in my art, ideas, and where I find myself at this point in life. I began creating nature masks when I moved to the mountains of Western North Carolina six years ago, and I currently reside in Fairview. Here, I find an abundant source of inspiration in living systems, patterns in nature, and the wilderness around me.