Workshop brings puppets alive

For most people stuffed animals are things that simply sit on a shelf or someone's bed collecting dust.

However, for Lorie Hawley of St. George, stuffed animals present opportunities for creativity and new friends.

Hawley uses the stuffed animals to create puppets of all shapes, sizes and colors.

"You still have a sense of accomplishment that you created it," she said. "It's just to have fun."

On April 22, Hawley shared the tricks of her trade with interested individuals at The Puppetry Arts Guild of Utah's 15th Annual Puppetry Workshop. Guild members, teachers, community members and children all gathered to Pioneer Craft House, 3300 S. 500 East in Salt Lake City, to learn about all aspects of puppeteering.

In addition to Hawley's class called Wanna-Be Puppets, attendees could also make a marionette, learn about simple rod-puppet construction, learn how to do a one-man puppet show and even polish their ventriloquist skills.

"It's a lot of fun and a lot of information," said Joe Flores, president of Utah's puppetry guild. "For someone if they knew nothing about puppetry but are wanting to get into it, or someone who is a puppeteer and wanted to know more, this is the place to come."

Such was the case for Lamar Penovich. After seeing news of the workshop in a newspaper article, the Tooele resident decided to come learn more about the art of puppeteering, which he has only recently taken up.

"I'm just starting. I enjoy entertaining my grandchildren with it," he said. "I think kids really love and relate to some of these (puppets)."

Penovich was excited to attend Hawley's class about Wanna-Be Puppets as well as learn more about ventriloquism. He hopes to one day be able to have a show to not only perform for family but also to senior centers or other places around the community.

For Elizabeth and Christopher Duncan, 10 and 8, of Page, Ariz. the puppetry workshop was a chance to get out with grandma and do something fun while their mother attended the music educators' conference at The Salt Palace Convention Center. Elizabeth liked creating a puppet from a stuffed bear.

"It gets you creative. To make it you use your imagination," she said. "You take something that just sits and does nothing and turn it into something you can play with."

Sherrie Mecham of Provo felt the workshop could be helpful for her profession as a school psychologist.

"It puts kids at ease with the puppets," she said, relating an experience of working with a girl who refused to talk everywhere but home but would talk with the puppet. "This works. It's so interesting being able to meet the needs of kids I'm working with by making a puppet for them."

Flores said the creative aspect of puppeteering is what appeals the most about it.

"I love creativity and creating something that doesn't exist and making it come to life," he said.

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E-mail: twalquist@desnews.com