Good question!  I'm Alexander Thompson, a self-taught leather mask maker from Woodbury, MN.  I've been making  masks since 2011, and to be completely honest, I've made remarkable progress since those early days.  Time spent making things and being creative is what makes me happiest, so my free time is often filled with either working on something crafty or pondering what I ought to work on next.  In fact, when I decide to take a break from mask work, I'm often at a bit of a loss with what to do with my recreational time.  My masks are my recreation!

 

"But why masks?" I hear you ask.  Throughout my childhood, I had a keen interest in masks from all different cultures.  The more I became exposed to examples of others' work, the more eager I grew to make designs of my own.  Unfortunately, most common avenues of mask creation at the time revolved heavily around the use of everybody's favorite sloppy and unpleasant mess: paper mache.  I will make no effort to hide my distaste for working with paper mache and, this being the case, my mask-making ambitions came to a grinding halt.  It wasn't until near the end of high school that I was introduced to making masks out of leather, but the moment I discovered it was a possibility, my desire for creation was rekindled once again.  A way to make masks that wasn't a sticky, gloppy mess?  Yes, please!

 

From there, I started producing masks for a local Live Action Role Playing (LARP) organization as an outlet for practicing and selling my work.  This eventually led to where I am now, peddling masks online and at small renaissance festivals in Wisconsin, such as Ren in the Glen and A Gathering of Rogues and Ruffians.  In preparation for events like these, I try to make a progress every day, adding to my supply and striving to maintain a plentiful stock of masks year-round.  Planning for future public events is always in the works, so keep an eye out for a guy with a blonde ponytail and a few dozen masks.  I'd love to have you meet my masks in person someday!