About

Moni* Roxburgh Sears is a lifelong creator of art. At ten years old in New Zealand she made her first experimental masks from paper and cardboard before her family immigrated to the United States Midwest in 1987. Then from 1994-1997 she completed a Fine Art major while gleaning mask-making tips from vintage theater books and creating a variety of masks for the stage.

Moni gained additional mask-making tips during summer workshops at California's Dell Arte School of Physical Theatre in 1997, and when working with artist and puppeteer Mike McCormick during the production of a short film The Phoenix, directed by Peter Ettinger in 1998.

Then she did a puppetry internship in 1999 in Portland, Oregon with Mary Robinette Kowal and Tears of Joy Theatre (1971-2019), where she learned how to make large-scale paper mache creations.

Following that Moni decided to remain in Portland and turn mask-making into a business: Goblin Art. Often assisted by her partner Rick Sears, from 2000-2015 thousands of their creations were sold to customers around the world through galleries, fairs, art markets, and online sales.

Goblin Art's masks have also been commissioned for film and television, and have been featured on book and album covers including Iron Maiden's 2003 LP record album and vinyl single Dance of Death.

Between 2002 and 2014 Moni and Rick regularly traveled to the New Orleans French Quarter to sell masks at the Mardi Gras Mask Market and to parade with the Society of Saint Anne on Mardi Gras Day. That annual immersion in New Orleans parade culture has had a lasting influence on Moni's work.

In 2017 Moni closed the main portion of the Goblin Art business so she could shift her attention to a new project: Wildland Roots - Mythic Arts & Mummery . It started with Moni developing mask-making methods with natural, biodegradable and recycled materials, but it has since evolved into a collective of artists focused on place-rooted processional and ritual-arts projects including the Portland All Souls River Procession .

The Portland All Souls River Procession began during the Pandemic through the collaborative vision of Moni Sears, Ivy Stovall and Mellissa Berry. It has been held each November since 2021 by the Willamette River and St Johns Bridge in Portland, and is graciously hosted by the Green Anchors Foundation. The event combines art, masks, costumes, lanterns, giant puppets and group participation into a powerful community ritual to honor the souls who have left us during the previous year.

Moni continues to find new outlets for her creative interests using a combination of both modern and natural techniques and materials. She also offers in-person mask-making classes to folks in the Portland area.