A mask for you, a mask for me
Catch Joe Cerny showing his masks for sale at upcoming Lompoc Art Walks. Follow him on Instagram @jozo_masks to see his new projects.
Facing his fear of failure, Joe Cerny said he’s “so over” being scared of trying new things that might turn out to be embarrassing.
Last year, a spinal injury kept him bedridden for 10 months, but after surgery he found a brighter perspective.
“I guess it’s one of those new-lease-on-life situations where before I hurt my back, I was just going through the motions. … I just felt like I was in a rut,” Cerny told the Sun. “When I hurt my back and got better from that, I kind of had that new passion to be creative again and wanted to start exploring.”
He’d kept seeing videos on Instagram and TikTok from a Russian artist who makes masks with a 3D pen, basically drawing them instead of sculpting. The device is like a condensed version of a 3D printer, but plastic filament is heated and pressed out through a pen tip, drying quickly after its application. On his way to a surgery checkup last year, Cerny decided to buy one.
Since February he’s been using it to create masks of his own. The artist’s first public showing was at the Lompoc Art Walk on April 2. The community-led event matches local artists with small business owners to foster an open-house, interactive art museum across town on the first Thursday of every month.
Cerny was born and raised in Lompoc but is new to the Art Walk. He said he “absolutely fell in love” with the fact that community members are pulling something together out of nothing.
A “mind reader type,” he set up inside The Wicked Shamrock bar at the April event, trying to read everyone’s facial expressions as they walked by. The artisan sold two pieces.
“It feels super validating to be able to take something from my mind and put it into physical space and have people think it’s cool,” he said.
Designs begin with figments of his imagination. Cerny explores themes of beauty in death and suffering. In a word, he’d describe his style as esoteric.
Take one look at his pieces—you’ll definitely have a reaction. Picture clowns, exposed skulls, and long, extended jaws with stringy teeth.
Cerny’s fascination with gory, monstrous themes is obvious. During some self-reflection, he realized even the tattoos on his body are all personified characters and animals.
“Right now, I’m starting off with a lot more creepy designs just because of the roughness of the medium and my kind of beginner knowledge in it lends itself to that creepy aesthetic,” Cerny said. “Sometimes I’ll purposely turn up the temperature of my gun, so I get a really creepy looking bubbly plastic feel.”
The first step is buying a generic paper mask off Amazon or making a cardboard configuration. Cerny makes cuts, shaping the structure to fit his vision. Then the surface is ready for hot plastic filament.
Some masks get a coat of paint, some don’t. He’s learned how to move quicker mid-design when swapping out the colored filaments in his 3D pen.
When all is said and done, the masks are wearable, complete with a strap and buckles that Cerny fashions onto the backs. His early prototypes were heavy, but they’re getting lighter as he practices.
Wearability was an important quality for Cerny. As an anxious person, he relates to the concept of putting a mask on in social settings.
“When you’re putting on the mask, you can kind of just embody this different character, and it lets me be free from a lot of insecurities and different social inhibitions,” Cerny said.
It’s also an honor to know that he created a character that someone else accepts. When others appreciate his work, it’s empowering because some of his insecurities go out the window.
His good friend Monique Ernberg wasn’t surprised to learn Cerny started crafting masks. They’ve known each other since high school and she’s always viewed him as a creative person.
At first glance, the masks captured her attention. Long drawn to the “spookier” aspects of life, Ernberg was intrigued.
“Just his talent with these details and the textures. I know it had taken him some time. You can just tell by looking at them, so I’m like, ‘OK. He’s dedicated,’” Ernberg said. “I knew he was fully absorbed in this.”
In March, Cerny asked Ernberg to break out her camera and snap some shots of his work. Ernberg’s passion for photography dates back to high school, and she felt honored to take on the project.
There was quite a bit of teamwork involved, with the friends giving each other ideas. They made a lightbox and messed around with colors, lighting, and backgrounds.
Cerny envisions himself selling masks online, maybe at an Etsy shop, but for now he’s content getting his foot in the Lompoc art world. Ernberg said she could see Cerny successfully selling out of town when the time is right.
Ernberg believes people—including herself—relate to the way he uses creativity to face fears.
“He’s like a well of endless inspiration,” Ernberg said. “It just makes me feel really excited to see what he will come up with next.”
Reach Staff Writer Madison White, a 3D pen rookie, at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in April 30 – May 7, 2026.