Kelli Callison Varner made her first mask in 1978. She and a friend wanted to go to the Mardi Gras and mask masks to sell and raise funds for their trip. At that time, options were very limited for procuring bird pelts and feathers. A hunter or a zoo employee were the main sources of such exotic items, and luckily, Kelli’s friends worked for a zoo and was able to provide multiple varieties of both pelts and feathers. A wonderful trip to New Orleans proved that they has a talent that would sell!

Kelli’s creativity led her to choose a profession in visual merchandising. While working for two major retailers in the Denver area, she won various awards for her visual design stylings. Recently, a friend encouraged Kelli to put her mask-making talents to use once again, almost 40 years later. It is her hope that the mask she presents today will bring her full circle – art that will please the purchaser and successfully raise funds for a completely different cause.