Our assignment for this week was to make a puppet for our halloween puppet show: Kitchen Apocalypse. I decided I wanted to return to the rod puppet form and really build a mouth mechanism using springs (and a a small door hinge, a bracket, and coreplast. The body is made of sculpy – unfortunately, she is very very heavy. I think she is a zombie chef in a cocktail dress with oven mitts. In this week’s performance she’s going to meet a Genie (made by Eric Hagan) who is going to offer her the things she needs in the post-apocalyptic world, but with a twist.

You can see her in action here:
https://vimeo.com/51956500

Following Gregory Barsamian’s wonderful artist talk in Puppets and Performing Objects our assignment was to create a 3D Zoetrope. I decided I wanted to continue work on a phenakitiscope I began several years back and use 3D paper constructions.

Here it is in action. The footage was shot by Peter Terezakis.

https://vimeo.com/51684291

Our assignment was to create a marionette, using only wood and going nuts with color. This assignment was complicated for me as I was away and had no shop or tools to work with. (I had a steak knife and a hot glue gun.) So, I went through my studio and found usable wood pieces — antique wooden spools and pre-cut pieces purchased at the Hobby Lobby’s dollhouse section years ago. For color, I used acrylic paints for the face and decided to go with tissue paper on the body.

Once again, Antonius and Eric and I will be working together. David Bowie song to be determined, however instrumental soundtrack selected.

This is Elliot – my first rod puppet. We had to use at least one mechanism and limit our construction to cardboard. He will perform later this week with Antonius and Eric. Our assignment is to have our performance act out a dramatic love triangle scene using classical music. We will be using Saint-Saen’s Danse Macabre.

This is Clarissa. She is part sheep and part human. She was a genetic experiment in the aftermath of her cousin Dolly.  She is also an animal communicator. For her documentary we not only hear her talk about her life, childhood, and professional practice, we also get to see her at work with two dogs and a cat.