Parades, Puppets, Performances
Growing up, I was the kid in the neighborhood that put on the backyard circuses, the magic shows, the puppet shows...and convinced all my friends to help make parades and costumes for any and all occasions. To this day, the call of the joyous communal spectacle is within me. It transforms people!
Parade by Savannah College of Art and Design (2004), Palais des Popes, Avignon, France. Photos above and below by Chia Chong, courtesy of SCAD
Savannah College of Art and Design Sidewalk Arts Festival 2011. Above photosby Chia Chong, courtesy of Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah College of Art and Design Sidewalk Arts Festival 2019. Above three photos by Chia Chong, courtesy of Savannah College of Art and Design
SCAD Sidewalk Arts Festival 2019, photo by Martha Enzmann
Above and below:: "Fire", theme of Liberty Parade 2013. Photos by Martha Enzmann
SCAD Parades (above): In 2004 the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) commissioned Karen McVay Butch and me to: create 2 parades in France (at Place Pompideau, Paris and at a theater festival in Avignon); mount an exhibit, "Parade" at the Mona Bismarck Center (Paris); and work with theater students studying Commedia del Arte. In 2009, we fashioned a string of “30 Pearls” in honor of SCAD’s 30th anniversary and in 2019, a “Ruby Dragon” for the 40th.
Liberty Parade, Todd, NC (left and below): As founder and artistic director of Elkland Art Center from 1997 to 2016, I was privileged to lead the development of a series of community parades beginning in 2001. The popular annual Liberty Parade emerged in 2006 and continues to this day in Todd every July 4th, now under the auspices of Todd Community Preservation Organization (toddnc.org).
Liberty Parade 2012, “Air” theme. Photo by Martha Enzmann
Above three images: “Earth” Fox, Mountain Man and Bear. Photos by Martha Enzmann
Above: “Sound”, theme of Liberty Parade 2014. Photo by Martha Enzmann
In Liberty Parade 2009, we made mobiles of small fish that live only in the New River for the multi-yeared theme of “Water”. PHoto by Martha Enzmann
Up North (below): Returning to my hometown of International Falls, Minnesota after 45 years, several public puppet/parade projects emerged spontaneously…a giant black bear and 8’ walleye windsocks produced with artist local Debra Ciminski.
Black Bear, July 4th parade, 2018, International Falls, MN. Photo by Martha Enzmann
These giant walleye windsocks won grand championship in the 2019 Grindstone Island boat parade on Rainy Lake.
Nativity Procession at Blackburns’ Chapel United Methodist Church, Todd, NC (below)
Nativity Procession, Blackburns’ Chapel United Methodist Church,made with Blackburn House interns, carried by congregants.
Puppet shows (below): Following a young proclivity for puppets, as an adult I created and performed many puppet shows for audiences of all ages. Below is are examples from “Participation” and "The Magnificent and Vital Law of Expressive Creativity", written by Sue Gurnee as we’ll as Shingebiss and The Runaway, an original play written by Cindy Ball.
Participation. Plays written by Susan Gurnee. Produced and performed by Martha and frirends. Photos by Martha Enzmann
The Magnificent and Vital Law of Creativity. Plays written by Susan Gurnee. Produced and performed by Martha and frirends. Photos by Martha Enzmann
Shingebiss (above and below), a favorite childhood story about the little duck Shingebiss who refuses to let the North Wind defeat him.
In a performance at Appalachian State University, we were fortunate to be joined by a First Nations student drummer.
The Runaway, a play about the Bank of Todd, written by Cindy Ball, performed by Lexie Danner, Josh Greene and Martha Enzmann