New Mixed Media: "Mask of the Ancient Ones" Wins First Place

ENGLEWOOD, Fla. - March 11, 2020 - PRLog -- "Mask of the Ancient Ones", a wood carving by Evelyn Dales appearing on the cover of 20/20, a novel by author B Shawn Clark, won first place at the Ancient Influences exhibition held at Ringling College's art center in Englewood.

The mask is featured prominently in the novel. An image of the carving adorns the cover of the book. Dales, who carved the piece at the request of Clark, was presented the award at a reception held on March 7, 2020.  Of the 44 entries, Mask of the Ancient Ones won top honors at the exhibition, in which artists were invited to submit artwork "that depicts their interpretation of work inspired by ancient cultures".

Accompanying the mask itself at the exhibition is the novel that was the driving force behind its creation. In 20/20, the mask is created as a talisman to fend off malevolent forces threatening harm to inhabitants of a coastal neighborhood who are attempting to remake their storm-ravaged community using techniques of the forgotten tribes of indigenous peoples.

The mask created as part of the story is a rendering of the "Man Bear Mask", identified as Mask #12, that was unearthed during the archeological expedition led by Frank Hamilton Cushing in 1896 at Key Marco (the site is known as the "Court of the Pile Dwellers").

The mask was the subject of a painting by on-site artist Wells Sawyer that is kept at the Smithsonian Institute.  Dales based her carving of the mask on 20/20 as well as information on the Cushing expedition - and what anthropologists believe are the most likely ways in which the ceremonial masks uncovered at the site were created by the fascinating indigenous artists who made them thousands of years ago.

"Art in all its forms – literary and otherwise – is an important ingredient in teaching science and natural history," said Clark.  "We need more of it in museums, libraries and independent bookstores if we are to better engage the public, especially young people, in learning more about history, science, human behavior and the environment."

20/20 by B Shawn Clark is distributed by Ingram Books and is available through retail bookstores and other outlets in both hardcover and in eBook formats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLwPGL8j7vI&t=23s



FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Author:         B Shawn Clark
Title:          20/20
ISBN:          978-1-7343083-0-3 (hardcover); 978-1-7343083-1-0 (eBook)
Website:      www.2020-TheBook.com
Publisher:    First Run Books
Phone:        (941) 270-3900
Email:          Editors@1stRunBooks.com
You Tube:     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLwPGL8j7vI