Colonial Williamsburg Masks
The masks in this gallery are the ones that my partner Brandon and I use. They were all made by Colonial Williamsburg employees working in the textile department. Normally these staff members create historical costumes for interpreters, bedding, and other furnishings for the historical buildings, but recently they've been focusing on masks. Brandon works as a Senior Preparator in the Collections Department at Colonial Williamsburg, so earlier this spring he brought home these masks for us to use.
I am very grateful to the people who made these masks. My health benefits from their labor, and they spared me the time and effort needed to make my own masks. Since I do not have access to a sewing machine myself, this is especially significant to me, as any mask-making would have required hand-sewing. Whenever I put one on, I think about the labor that went into making it, the creative decisions made in fabric selection, and whether I'll ever find out who specifically made them. I also wonder whether I've seen any other masks these individuals have made on the faces I see when I run errands.
