5-week online class
Tuesdays March 28, April 4, 11, 18, 25
7-9 pm Eastern (NYC) time
$145 Patreon Members / $165

Taught via Zoom by Alisa Sickora Kleckner
PLEASE NOTE: All classes will also be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time

What does doll magic conjure in your mind? Do you envision a stabbing pin exacting mystical revenge or do you see a mindfully crafted effigy being employed to calm a worried soul? In this class we will unpack what is it about puppets, poppets and dolls that we both love and fear and in doing so, we will reclaim these emotionally charged objects as a vehicle to conjure creativity, banish blockages and enliven our practice as makers.

As we unravel the mysteries of this sympathetic magical practice, we will also be creating our own animate-able puppet muse, a house for our new friend and ways to ensoul the object through mindful fabrication approaches and ritual considerations. Weekly prompts will be offered to aid in your process as creator and companion, so that you may build a relationship as you build your muse.

Whether a practicing artist or a person who would like to petition for more time for creative exploration, this class offers a pathway to actualize that desire through the lens of imitation and correspondence magic, raw creation and your will.

Tap into that sense of wonder and play as you fabricate your ideal creative companion. Learn to feed each other and celebrate what is sacred about your process. And, don’t forget to ask for help when you need it. That’s what friends, stuffed or otherwise, are for.

SCHEDULE

• Week 1: History of doll magic, why we fear puppets and cultural misinformation.

• Week 2: An Animist’s approach to effigy creation and usage. Guest speaker Matthew Venus.

• Week 3: Building the puppet with use in mind; getting to the root of what you want, need, are missing.

• Week 4: Housing your puppet where they’d want to live and where they’ll thrive.

• Week 5: Introducing your muse to the world: Final presentations

Working within both the professional and academic communities, Alisa Sickora Kleckner has designed and built costumes, masks, puppets, and f/x makeup for well over 200 productions, specializing in by not limited to theatre and themed entertainments. Alisa has also produced, directed and/or written a number of original puppetry pieces and devised works as well as created or consulted on immersive experiences. As an educator, she teaches a wide range of courses in theatre design and technology as well as lecturing in art classes including Foundations, 3D printing and Digital Fabrication and Entrepreneurship in the Arts. Alisa has taught professional and collegiate technique-based workshops across the country and more recently found a voice on panels for inclusivity and diversity in themed entertainment. Beyond her traditional theatre endeavors, Alisa operates Scared of My Shadow, a leather mask business in which she specializes in creating wearable art pieces. A selection of her works are viewable at www.alisa-sickora-kleckner.com and www.scared-of-my-shadow.com.

Matthew Venus is a folk magician, artist, writer, and witch located in Salem, MA. He is the co-founder of the Salem Witchcraft & Folklore Festival and the owner and lead apothecary of Spiritus Arcanum, an online and event based supplier of handcrafted occult wares.

First image: Crude pale-grey poppet made of putty, with strips of grey tissue paper round head and shoulders, and thin brown paper (with writing) round body, and with pins in neck, 1953-54, copyright to The Museum of Witchcraft Ltd.

Second image: Poppet of stuffed fabric in Edwardian-style black dress with stiletto through face, 1953, copyright to The Museum of Witchcraft Ltd.