Ms. Whelan, who was a student of Beth Cederstom, the ceramicist who designed the blank mask template for the Hospice Mask Project, has done ceramics for seven years. Since her retirement last year, she devotes three days a week to ceramics. She also works part time as a cashier at Orchard Supply Hardware.

Thoughts:

Loving hardware stores led me to start designing and making jewelry from various nuts and bolts, as well as other non-traditional materials. I wanted to integrate my jewelry making with the mask project and have hopefully been successful. My mother has been a Hospice volunteer for many years and was featured in her local paper. It was through my ceramics class that I became aware of the Hospice Mask Project; I feel honored to participate in such a worthwhile cause.