Fabulous Sea Creatures in Esperance, WA
(photo credit: Bryan Woltjen)
The Esperance Festival of the Wind was held on 22 March this year. The festival began as an art-themed celebration of the positive energy wind brings to the town of Esperance, Western Australia, but it has now evolved into a celebration of ‘community, art, culture and shared fun’. Puppet designer and maker, Bryan Woltjen, together with animateur Karen Hethey, community groups, schools and individuals, made 8 fabulous giant puppet sea creatures for FantiSea, part of the festival. The frameworks are made from a mixture of bamboo and cane, with wire and gaffa joins, the skins muslin dipped in diluted PVA, and dyed. It is likely the puppets will make an appearance during the UNIMA 2008 festival in Perth.
