Organizations: Puppeteer of America, serving as board member, artistic director,
exhibitions director and in other capacities. Cofounder of Los
Angeles Guild of Puppetry served as board member and newsletter
editor.
Background: Art History major, Pomona College. Puppeteer, puppet collector,
Puppet exhibit consultant, teacher of puppetry public and private
schools, retirement homes, puppet festivals, art Center, museums,
etc.
Lifelong interest
in puppetry nurtured first by seeing numerous puppet shows in
Los Angeles department stores. Took classes in making and manipulating
marionettes in grammar school. Hand puppet productions in high
school, including one for Spanish class. Performed at Christmas
and birthday parties while in college.
Experience
in following types of puppets: all major categories - foam puppets
with animated mouths standard hand puppets, stop action puppets
for films, marionettes, including trick puppets, Japanese style
Bunraku puppets, rod puppets, shadow puppets from simple figures
to complex shadows such as authentic Chinese leather puppets as
well as Greek and Turkish figures.
Experience: worked with Sid and Marty Krofft Productions, Hollywood and other
venues with adult oriented miniature Las Vegas revue "Les Poupees
de Paris" and other productions. Krofft TV special, Folderol'
Krofft puppets live with Raquel Welch in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe.
Worked with Rene' and his Artists for TV commercials and live performances
at Laguna Festival of Arts, Knott's Berry Farm, Magic Mountain plus
fair dates, Christmas shows, McDonald's hamburger commercials, Pillsbury
Magic Circus TV specials with magician Mark Wilson. Assisted nightclub
performer, Frank Paris, TV commercials for Spray and Wash. Operated
Howdy Doody puppets for "40th Anniversary TV Special and video
with Paddy Blackwood. Fantasy Fair Company, Tommy Neall Productions.
Christmas shows with Doug Seymour Marionettes at the Enchanted Forest,
Woodland Hills. Christmas show at Pearson's Playhouse with Jim Vititow.
Operated 11' cat puppet in the Universal live production of American
Tale".
Shop work
with Rene' and with Krofft' Production line for "Knott's
Berry Farm Knott's Berry Tales" ride for Tokyo Radio Tower
Building, helped animate these life sized animatronic figures.
Developed
basic shadow puppet workshops for teachers, puppeteers, children
and adults .
Three decades
of experience in creating puppet exhibits: Museums, university
galleries, local and national galleries. Touring exhibits for
Corcoran Gallery, Cooper-Hewitt Gallery, Oakland Museum, Detroit
Institute of Arts and others. Mounted many exhibitions for national
and regional puppet festivals for Puppeteers of America. Participated
in Los Angeles Arts Festival, directed by Peter Sellers with mobile
gallery puppet exhibit. Currently consultant for similar exhibit
for San Diego Museum of Art
TV films: Clokey Productions "Davey and Goliath". Rainbow scene
for Muppet Movie. Puppet related but non puppet work in George
Pal's "The Brothers Grimm".