A Midsummer Night's Update

View from the Seaside cycle path, facing northwest from the Point Grey area, photo by me.

WOW has time ever been flying by through June and July! So many different projects have come into my life. Stilt performances, painting, puppetry, and costumes galore. I had a review meeting with the Costume Department at IATSE Local 891 to become a permittee member with them, and very soon I'll be getting my feet wet in the big pond of film work in Vancouver. Especially since I'm about to own my own car, which is a necessity for pretty much anything in film and theatre here in Rain City. I've held off as long as I could from taking this plunge, but the time has come. I find it annoying and classist when everyone simply assumes that I own one, but I forgive them because the culture of this city is completely car-oriented, no matter how wonderful the bike lanes are. I'm giving this place a real shot, so watch out Vancouver.
My other news is that I accepted a gig as the costume designer for the United Players of Vancouver's first show of the season opening September 2 at the Jericho Arts Centre: The Beaux Stratagem, written by George Farquhar in 1707, translated by Thornton Wilder in 1939/Ken Ludwig in 2004. Director Kathleen Duborg has set our production in the mid-Victorian period, so with a cast of 14 I am up to my ears in period costumes. In dusty old stock rooms I have spent most of the past 2 weeks rummaging through racks, boxes, and bins. It's a community theatre with a long history and a very nice group of people making it go, and it's a nice project to introduce myself to the Vancouver theatre community. It's been 7 years since I designed & assembled a conventional theatre production, indoors and everything! 
CLICK HERE FOR TICKET INFORMATION
September 2 -25
Thu - Sun at 8pm
(except September 11 & 25, matinée only)
$12 Preview: September 1 at 8pm
Talkback: September 8
Matinées: June 12 & 26 at 2pm
(no evening performance)
September 2 -25
Facebook event page: ​​https://www.facebook.com/events/1126471444126759/

Recent Work:

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Salsa Miranda
With Lindsey LongLegs - June 11, 2016 for NZR Productions

Gulliver the Giant Puppet
Mortal Coil Performance Society with Che Campbell, Frank Rader, and Barb Clayden
I was thrilled to join the puppeteer crew for this guy for Aboriginal Day at the Musqueam Reserve, as seen in the video posted below. Mortal Coil is creating Gulliver as a central part of a full-length show for 2017. After a good introduction as a puppeteer I became a maker, and worked on the sculptural development with the wonderful team of builders Che, Frank, and Barb. And then I was a puppeteer in the Canada Day parade on Granville Island, an unplanned & fantastic experience. Then we went back to improving the shape and movements of this big guy. At this point he is waiting for his next public appearance and I'm utterly thrilled to be part of his puppeteer crew: it takes 5 of us to operate him, including set up and tear down. Much fun!

"Once" Turbans
I had the good fortune to meet someone who works in costume in IATSE who passed my card on to an assistant designer at Once Upon A Time, the fantastical TV series entering its 6th season. They contracted me to make 2 matching turbans in the space of 4 days. Done and done. Hope to see them in action some day, and I'd absolutely Love to join that team, the costume designer is wonderful.

Holt Renfrew
Interior Display Walls & Granville St Window - Painterly Ombre for Kenzo, June 2016 

 Commercial Scenic Painting
for Scenic Oasis Film Inc.
I spent a memorable 2 overnights making a room orange with Tuffback, finishing work around 3am. Switching time schedules so much with all this freelance work is tough but I kind of enjoy it. I did some other painting work for Scenic Oasis on location at Boundary Bay Airport that involved painting giant fake concrete blocks to look like the real blocks that were there, for a high-profile commercial that is probably airing in the U.S. My new car is going to bring new opportunities in scenic painting, me'thinks!