This interview was done by our very own Johnny Bisco or Bisco County Jr. for those that know him best!
Gary Mongar has been on the scene for the past few years and it's great to finally see him getting the attention he deserves. Gary is a very talented artist and is widely known for his famous affordable white masks. H30 has grown leaps and bounds and although he has been in the background working on new projects and updating his site he has continued to provide affordable masks to the masses. Let's go Behind the Mask with Gary and see what makes him tick...
Below is a link to H30 Productions, be sure to pop in and say hello! You can also view all of Gary's work there....
http://s13.zetaboards.com/H30HorrorMasks/index/How long have you been making Myers masks?It's been around 3 strange and glorious years now.
How did you get started doing "white masks" and when was the first time you feel you "nailed it"?Well, I decided to start making Myers masks in the first place because I wanted some decent ones for myself but without the high prices. I did a lot of reading and watched a lot of videos to educate myself on the process of mask making. My first Myers sculpt was the Atrocity. That mask came out pretty well for my first attempt and basically looked to be a cross between a H20 and Resurrection mask. My next sculpt was the Reunion, which was my own take on the H20 mask. The first mask I really "nailed" and got attention for was the Resurrected.
How many masks do you make in a month and are there a lot of ups and downs?I really can't say how many I do in a month because it varies so often, but I do keep busy. The major upside is that I get to do something I really enjoy. One of the downs is that variation from month to month that decides just how much business I get. What really drives me though is when I get feedback from someone that really appreciates the mask they received from me. It's a great feeling to know they're happy with it.
I imagine October is probably your busiest month do you get swamped with orders?September and October are both extremely busy months for me with mask orders, but I love it.
How long does it take to make the mask perfect?I don't know that I've ever made a 'perfect' mask, but I make sure that every mask I send out is one I'd be happy to have in my own collection. I want everyone to be happy with what they're getting.
Of all the masks you have made (my personal favorite is the Thorned LE) what is your favorite?My favorite so far would have to be my newly released SEVEN V2. I think I finally got down the look I always wanted for an H20 mask.
There has been a lot of controversy over recasting in the last few years and you got stuck right in the middle of it what are your thoughts on this matter?I'm going to be pretty blunt on this one. I don't see a lot of recasting going on with other types of masks, horror or otherwise. It seems to be mostly Myers. Most of the Myers masks out there that so many people hold dear are recasts. Just about every Myers that was ever made started as a recast, whether it was from a Kirk mask or another. The controversy doesn't seem to ever be about the fact that it's done, but rather who the person is that's done it. For whatever reason, there is a lot of favoritism in the indie Myers mask scene. It seems to be perfectly acceptable for some mask makers to recast, yet completely dispicable for others. It's a double standard.
Your masks are some of the most affordable if not the most affordable "white masks" around what are your thoughts on what many perceive to be gouging in the Myers market?I keep my prices low for a reason. Not everyone can afford $300-$400 for a mask and they shouldn't have to. Especially with the way the economy is right now.
I have heard nothing but great things about your delivery times, what are your thoughts on those that take pre-orders to the tune of hundreds of dollars yet make people wait up to 6 months to receive the mask?I think it's ridiculous. Anyone who takes an order on a product should get that product out and to the customer as soon as possible, with updates and open communication. Plain and simple.
You seem to be quite the maverick in the Myers community, do you maintain contact with other artists and who would you consider your friends?You know, I really don't. I haven't done that for a reason, it's just worked out that way. I have quite a few customers and acquaintances I've made in the Myers community that I feel have become friends over the years. I've always held Lewis Frye in high regards. I think he's a great artist and a nice guy. I also have a lot of respect for Justin Mabry, although I've never talked to him.
Do you think there is too much favoritism in the community with regards to who makes Myers masks?The favoritism is there for sure. People have their favorite artists in this community. I don't think it's any different than someone having a favorite musician or actor or anything else for that matter. It's all about a person's personal taste and what and who they're comfortable with.
What is it about the Myers community that seems to attract so many scam artists be it on eBay, those who deliver less than stellar masks for the price they charge or those who don't deliver at all?I was just talking with someone about this the other day. There is so much drama in the Myers mask community, it's crazy. I don't understand it myself. If someone can explain it to me, I wish they would. You don't see things like this with any of the other horror icon masks and props.
I have heard some rumblings that you are going to branch out from doing just Myers masks any truth to that?Absolutely. There are numerous projects I'd like to work on. I'm currently working on a new project for the Jason fans out there as well as other things. Myers got me started, but I don't feel the need to stick with that. There are too many possibilities out there.
Below is some of Gary's work and a few picture of the man himself....
The SEVEN V2 
H20 Gold 
The RESURRECTED 
THORNED 
THE THORNED LE 
The FIVE 
The SKULL
The REMAKE (this is a Don Post mask repainted and haired by Gary)
The ATROCITY 
.jpg "HorrorBid's Behind the Mask")
