"Gratitude is the vessel that we lift to the gods, that they may fill it with their wonder gifts"
R. Steiner
Certificate Puppetry Training New Series Starting Summer 2011
Juniper Tree School of Story and Puppetry Arts 15th Certificate Training Group Begins Summer 2011 photos from the different sessions: story apron lap puppetry, and color and light puppetry scene from Sweet Porridge Here is a picture of a Mother Rod Puppet and her baby....a big part of the therapeutic session. Nothing makes a child feel safer than a Mother! In the third session we work with fairy tales and folk tales and the art of the marionette. Here is a scene from Snow White and Rose Red! Dear Puppetry Friends, The NEW FORMAT one-year part time certificate training consists of 3 sessions over one year. The 2011 dates are almost ...
continue readeingPosted by Suzanne, on September 1st, 2010
Announcing Regional Part-Time Puppetry Training
Juniper Tree School of Story and Puppetry Arts www.junipertreepuppets.com suzanne@junipertreepuppets.com Dear Regional Early Childhood Friends, I am happy to announce I will be offering a 6 weekend school year (Sat. 9-4, sun. 9-1) puppetry training in Boulder, CO. This will be the equivalent of Part one of the 3 part Certificate Puppetry Training. It is the pedagogical, early childhood focus of the training. The 6 weekends will be held once a month form Jan. to June 2011. This is a training commitment, not a drop-in program. Dates are: Jan. 15/16 - Feb. 26/27 - March 26/27 - April 9/10 - May 28/29 - June 18/19 Here is a peek at what we will delve into! Part one focus: Pedagogical Puppetry We will explore the fundamentals of enlivening simple ...
continue readeingPosted by Suzanne, on August 15th, 2010
Therapeutic Insights- Womb to Three Years
I have been researching the very early years of childhood for the last 15 years, through having my own preschool, parent-child programs, teaching in the Lifeways North America training for caregivers and parents, and becoming a presenter at conferences on the first three years. It became clear that this was THE most important time to lay down the foundations for a healthy life. Thus the following in-depth pro-d week developed. Truly, the therapeutic insights are what is needed in homes, childcare, preschool, and tot programs everywhere. Read on to learn about this one of a kind training weeks. Therapeutic Insights from Womb to Three Years A Pro-D 5-Day Course for Teachers, Therapists, Parents Boulder, CO July 5-9 ...
continue readeingPosted by Suzanne, on April 17th, 2010
Walkabout Tales
I have been going walkabout in nature for many years....and I realized something in the process of walking in the wonder and observation of nature was bringing story ideas to me. I have been researching the process of meditative walking to conjure the muse for several years. I have been teaching teachers, parents, and writers how to walk in nature with intention, and to create childrens stories in the process. I will be offering a 5-day professional development course on this wonderful creative and renewing activity this June 2010. Of course I can't imagine a story told without something visual about it, so we will also create story props and puppets to make our stories a visual treat as well as a story well told. I know there are many of you out there who love creating your own stories. This week is for you as well as total beginners. ...
continue readeingPosted by Suzanne, on April 17th, 2010
Color and Light Puppetry – with photos
I just finished a professional development 5 day course on Color and Light Puppet Theater, illuminated color shadow theater, where the eye and soul experience color landscapes and characters in movement and gesture. This therapeutic artistic approach opens the soul to the healing effects of color story in a delightful and meaningful way. We explored this medium in a practical and purposeful way, looking at the significance of color mood for the human soul, and then we created story worlds of color in motion! The goal was to create a color landscape with layers of tissue paper colors to give depth and interest, one where the eye could flow into the color world. Characters were then made to move in the color world of a back lighted shadow puppet theater and tell a tale. Here are just a few of the photos from the week.... remember that these are fixed photos, ...
continue readeingPosted by Suzanne, on April 12th, 2010
Protection Story Workshop with Photos
The Colorado Regional WECAN early childhood conference last week was held at Shepherd Valley Waldorf School after a BIG snow, the views of the mountains were incredible, and set the tone for a great day. The theme was - The Protection Story - Developing stories that help a child feel safe in their world. One method is to visually show a 'shelter' that encloses a character in a way that makes them feel protected. as though 'held in the arms of a loving mother'. We created hollow stump homes for mouse, with a view of the stars above, and a window to look out at the land....yet the house was sturdy and cozy, when filled with bits of moss and feather. You can see from the photos that these mice will live well in their homes....adorned with flowers, mosses, mushrooms.....We had a good day...lots of laughter, conversation, and creativity from ...
continue readeingPosted by Suzanne, on March 28th, 2010
Easter Bunny Time
When I find a really adorable puppet project online I like to share it with you. It is nice for you, and in this case, it is nice for Martha Stewart. Never mind her personality, the lady has great taste. This will delight children, it is a little 'puppet card theater'...I love it! My Easter craft offering this year is coming up this weekend...a truly fun workshop evolving the felted egg into many story kingdoms...I have had a lot of fun designing egg story worlds...come along and join us! Read all about it here! Here is the link to the how to video of a very cute bunny finger puppet card from Martha Stewart....click here
continue readeingPosted by Suzanne, on March 22nd, 2010
The Healing Art of Solo Marionette Theater – workshop
It is said that the marionette is the best puppet type to portray the elegant fairy tale stories. Perhaps this is because these mystery tales portray the evolution of the human soul, and the marionette, especially the silk marionette, depicts the human condition with such grace and uprightness. Standing there from head to toe, they walk, sit, sleep, sweep the floor, dance, climb cliffs, chop wood. They can portray most human movement with truth in their gesture. They also can make the human inner life visible. We can 'ensoul' them with qualities such as sympathy, antipathy, humor, joy, anger, greed, reverence, interest. These wonderful puppets can also tell simpler tales, nursery rhymes, nature stories, and bring to life song and poem. The upcoming Professional Development summer workshops for teachers, therapists, parents, and other enthusiasts, will focus on building skills to present solo shows that are simpler than ...
continue readeingPosted by Suzanne, on March 19th, 2010
The Worker Character Workshop Photos
A few busy weeks ago, at the teacher's conference in Sacramento was so much fun. It started off for me and a wonderful group of ECE teachers,with my pre- conference workshop on what wisdom lives in the characters that are the 'doers' in story. Qualities such as 'reliability, capability, interest, focus, skilled, reverence for the materials, certainty, rhythmical,' were some of the comments from the circle of participants to set the mood for our creations. And what is it that the children gain from observing these beloved workers of the tale. They take in a modeling of healthy will and participation in purposeful work. And we worked and created characters that by now have told stories to children showing off all their abilities!! They chopped wood, baked bread, went fishing, planted crops, harvested, swept the floor, knitted, milked cows, and more. We all became artisan workers! Coming up soon is a ...
continue readeingPosted by Suzanne, on March 15th, 2010
The First Flower – The Snowdrop Story
By now most of the country is weary of snow - so here is a story of hope and spring's beginnings...my favorite story of the first brave flower of spring. You can find many other sweet spring stories in our Spring Tales collection of poems and stories for children. You might also enjoy a spring workshop we are giving in Boulder CO - The Incredible Story Egg Contact Suzanne for ordering books or registration for the workshop The Snowdrop By Hans Christian Andersen (Adapted) The snow lay deep, for it was winter time. The ...
continue readeingPosted by Suzanne, on February 11th, 2010
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