Process of building a dragon mask

Yesterday the icy rain kept me inside most of the day, and I'd left the mask covered at the Black Mountain studio...which was closed due to the ice storm.

Today it was warm and all the ice was gone.  So I worked at the BMCA studio, then brought the mask home, to continue to work at my own schedule.

This is the inner part of the mask, showing the indentations in which the eyeballs were placed, then given support structures for the eyes.  It also shows one nostril which is open through the mask, as well as the mouth.

Here are the eyes (not open through the mask) and the nostrils which are open through the mask.  I've sketched in some detail areas, and done some of the middle process carving.  The mouth will have a tongue added, and there are various parts of her anatomy which haven't been completed yet. At this point she's beyond leather hard, but I want to keep the option of adding some pieces, like that tongue, so will mist her when I put her under the plastic tonight.

I studied some African masks in Art School at the U of Florida in the 80s.  They influenced Picasso, so I hope they've influenced me a bit too.