After I graduated from art school (East Texas State) in 1974, my friends Jay Cotton, Ric Heitzman and I formed a performance art band called APEWEEK, We did Americanized Bunraku puppets, shadow puppets and comedic radio shows in Dallas, Texas and Houston. That was the first time I built latex puppet parts. I don't like most puppets, but certain puppet shows are very interesting to me.

A couple of years ago the guys at FUNNY GARBAGE, Chris Capuozzo and Peter Girardi, and Ric Heitzman and I formed a puppet group in Brooklyn. We made videos of three dimensional puppets and shadowpuppets and had a lot of fun. I built these dolls during 2001. Peter went on to do the CRANK YANKERS show on TV. I've done many other kinds of three dimensional work, which will appear here in the future.


©2003 Gary Panter