PUPPETRY

There is something innate and universal about puppetry. I think of the way humans make shadow puppets by candlelight and how children naturally bring inanimate objects to life. Puppetry, to me, keeps something playful alive.

On a practical level puppetry allows me to combine many things I enjoy: story, imagination, fabric, paint, sculpting, carving, sewing, creating small worlds, music, dance, and movement. I am inspired by the everyday world, such as the way fabric moves, song lyrics, or characters from stories. Sometimes I see a railroad crossing with the big arms coming down as I wait, and I fantasize making marionettes based on that, being able to bring to life that object that I see in my daily life. 

There really is something magical that happens when you perform for a certain amount of time and reach a point where the movements can happen more naturally and spontaneously and you are watching the puppet move on its own in a way.

To view a selection of my handmade puppets, click here.

My projects have included commissions for:
The Scottish Rite Theater
St. Andrews Episcopal School, Austin, TX
Stage West, Fort Worth, TX
Vortex Theater, Austin, TX
and More