Goalie mask art exhibit on display at Kelowna Rotary Centre for the Arts

Goalie masks are the centre of an art exhibit at the Rotary Centre for the Arts, all made by a former UBC Okanagan fine arts student.

Rylan Broadbent's series, Behind my Mask, I am Secure is a collection of ceramic goalie masks. They are currently on display at the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art.

"This whole journey started with wanting to engage with some of my hockey equipment. I have a Master's of Fine Arts, so I am primarily an artist, but I also play hockey outside of this and I wanted to marry the two things together for this project."

The artist and goalie says it has been rewarding being able to put his artwork on display.

"It has been really excellent to put the mask in front of people. To me that sort of completes the circle of spending all that time making the piece and then it is really rewarding actually put it in front of people," Broadbent said.

He says his artwork took three months to complete.

"I started with one of my own goalie masks and took it all apart. I ended up making a plaster mould of it and then taking clay and pushing that into the mould then basically pulling masks back out and then finding ways to engage with them to open up different doors," he added.

Broadbent hopes maybe one day an NHL goalie may call him up to help create a mask.

"I certainly wouldn't hesitate if one of them wanted to pick one up and it would be great to get a goalie's reaction."

The hockey lover says he plans on expanding his exhibit in the near future.

The masks are on display until March 11.