As Halloween is fast approaching, Shippensburg University art students are hanging up their masks and putting away their old toys.

The Brindle Art Gallery is opening its doors to the “FACE OFF” group exhibit until Oct. 20. “FACE OFF” showcases “Faces," by art professor Steven Dolbin’s fall 2015 basic sculpture class, and “Toy Transformations,” by Dolbin’s fall 2016 basic sculpture class. The exhibit is tied together with a horror and fantasy theme.

Last fall, Dolbin assigned his basic sculpture class with the task of recreating a face. Each mask was casted from an actual face, rather than simply molded from the artist’s fingertips. Dolbin was even able to access molds of famous stars like Ashton Kutcher and David Bowie for his students to use.

After molding the face with clay, students were able to distort the faces however they wanted.

“You got this face, now don’t mess it up. Don’t start turning it into an 8th grade Halloween mask,” Dolbin said.

Once the masks were shaped, they were fired in a kiln. Then, the decoration process began through applying makeup and adding extra elements like seashells, eyelashes and even a set of scissors.

Dolbin’s mask project was inspired by his former student, Riley Cameron, who creates props and masks for haunted houses. Cameron is the owner of Nevermore Productions, an animation and set design company in Chambersburg.

Dolbin was also influenced by the reality TV show “Face Off,” where special effects makeup artists battle in elaborate competitions to see who can create the best masterpiece.

Although the typical artist is stereotyped as a painter with a beret and smock, Dolbin explained how there are an array of side routes, like special effects work. His goal is to make people realize that there is a potential for careers in the art field.

“We try to expose people to as many possible options that they have,” Dolbin said.

In addition, Dolbin had his current basic sculpture students bring in old toys to alter from delightful and fun to haunted and creepy. The final products resembled Sid’s mutant toys in Disney’s “Toy Story.”

The Brindle Art Gallery, which is located in room 213 of the Huber Art Center, was named after SU 1947 alumni Mary Alethea Baird Brindle and Ernest Wright Brindle Jr. in honor of their service and dedication. For more information about future art exhibits, go to http://www.ship.edu/Art/Gallery/Student_Art_Gallery/.

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