Valmortha Leathercraft

Melissa D. Bittinger

Leather

Arden, DE 19810

(302)475-2368

www.valmortha.com
bittinger@valmortha.com

Gallery Hours

Private home studio. Viewings by appointment only.

Artist Statement

Melissa D. Bittinger, known to friends and colleagues as just "D", studied to become an anthropologist, earning an MA degree in the process. Thereafter, she walked many a corn field and overgrown ridge top with survey archeologists. Somewhere along the way, she discovered an aptitude for computers, and she taught herself the fundamentals of database design and administration. Now she spends her weekdays as a data analyst/report coordinator, but that's only half the story, the mundane half. When not at "work", D is most likely making masks or seeking their inspiration - inspiration found more often than not on long woodland walks, in folk and fairy tales, during medieval weekend retreats, in daydreams and even at the movies. If you ask her who she is, she'll direct you to her website, the virtual home of Valmortha Leathercraft.

What is Valmortha?

Originally a place name, a world created through years of storytelling, I like to think of Valmortha as the Unknown Universe Just Left of the Imagination - A home for creatures, spirits and personalities we dare to dream but jealously guard from the mundane. As mischievous children, dreams sometimes venture forth from their protected home, becoming inspiration. Such is the impetus behind my craft.

By serendipitous choice, the leather medium proved a true complement to the often demanding and impatient wanderings of my inspirations. Malleable only if properly coaxed, it hints at and suggests the transformation to come, granting me some tiny illusion of control. Being both durable and flexible, the leather encourages you to play with the art. Don't just hang it on the wall. Wear it, dance with it, take it camping!

If we allow them some freedom, our dreams and stories enrich our realities. They bring us laughter and healing. They teach us lessons, or remind us to cry. To wear a mask is to tell a story, and every Valmortha mask or sculpture reveals a hundred tales, each unique to the observer.