I couldn't stop reading the article by Charlotte performing artist Hardin Minor that recounts his recent trip to the Burning Man Festival 2008. (Charlotte Observer Carolina Living Section, 10/19/08) He spoke of the restorative powers that the festival had on his approach to life, both personally and professionally and therefore artistically.
I think this article was so transfixing to me because I've been giving a lot of thought to my own artistic journey of late. I had a great conversation with Vania Reckard about this just last week. Vania, an amazing puppeteer in her own rite, runs the workshop here at Grey Seal. What a wonderful environment she has created; it's truly a pleasant place to design and build. A pastiche of personalities gather each day to create amazing characters amid conversations that run the gamut from plastic people in Star Wars costumes to vampire books to morning-long discussions on where to have lunch. All this while "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" quietly plays in the background.
Back to my conversation with Vania. I was telling her about how my views on my own puppetry have been changing over the last 5 years. Looking back to when I started out as a professional puppeteer, I think of all the opportunities to learn and grow that I must have missed because I was close-minded and unwilling to consider another way beside my own. I can think of occasions when I was filled with a silly self-induced bravado; unwilling to believe that what I had envisioned and realized was not the only perfect approach.
This is so amazing to me now because at this point in my puppetry career I realize daily that I have only scratched the surface when it comes to the possibilites of the puppet. The opportunities to learn and grow and become better surround me. They're everywhere! Our recent collaboration with The Children's Theatre of Charlotte on a production of Roald Dahl's "The BFG" invigorated me, I was overwhelmed by the capablities of my fellow collaborators.
Recently I've seen puppets from a full blown opera of Hansel and Gretal by Paul Mesner, a side-splitting "Cinderella" by Great Arizona Puppet Theatre, an impromptu shadow play by puppeteers Sarah Frechette and Ceili Clemons and got a pure shot of adrenalin from "Quintron and Miss Pussycat;" all of these performers amaze me and leave me tingling with the power and possibilities of the puppet.
So, I plow on, alive with a new-found vigor for what I do! The current puppetry palette is fantastic and it's absolutely great to be immersed in it; and to be soaking up as much as I can!
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1 comment:
Doesn't a Puppets to Go performance make you tingle? "Good mornin', good mornin'" Only kidding. I can relate to your questioning of the art form. I have been jazzed recently about doing more with my writing, particularly my comedy writing (now there's a profession that can make you even less than puppetry, if you give it half a chance) I have always admired your performing abilities, and me and elise continue to admire your growth.
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