Spider Creature

Spider Creature, by Cindy Derby

This was the spider creature puppet I built for the short film, Frigid

I will be putting up some more photos soon from the actual shoot!  How I made it? Paper, tape and paint! Oh, and little flashlights that I wrapped red paper around.

Black House on a Hill

Black House on a Hill by Cindy Derby

2012...Beginnings of something...new

This has probably been the most challenging and exciting year thus so far of my life, from performing my show at the International Manipulate Festival in February, making some crazy life-decisions, making the move back from Glasgow to California- and with that...sadly departing a tremendous relationship, and yet making new wonderful friends, making the move to Los Angeles and working with stop-motion animation company Screen Novelties, and meeting some humble puppeteers through Janie Geiser, having the fabulous opportunity to perform my puppetry work at the REDCAT- the Walt Disney Concert Hall, to getting involved in many film projects for production design, a few crazy health scares the past months (!), and finally back home with my family to reflect...relax...and redeem myself.  I couldn't ask for a more pleasant closing to this chapter.  I feel a chapter in anyone's life can end at any point in a year...but right now...it truly does feel like this one is concluding at the end of this year and a new one is blossoming in January.  It has been an emotional roller coaster...the longest chapter yet of my life.  I have learned many valuable skills through working on film sets and creating my own work.  Not only that...but many life lessons in the mix.  I recognize that my work as an artist grows with me, grows down with me, grows sideways with me. It just exists, and there is simply evolution. No better or worse. Perhaps more depth as life draws you raggedy edges.

Im ready to workshop a new puppetry piece I have been writing for children.  I will be applying for funding too, and I am propelling forward with all the wonderful things I am passionate about, which were almost lost in the mix of some occasions.  Im excited and optimistic what this new chapter will bring.

Spider-Creature Concept

In the next few weeks I will be embarking on creating a large creature for a live-action film that takes place in an ice world.  These are my concept drawings.  Im really excited to get started soon!  I also love spiders...never had a fear of them ;)  I think they are intricate and beautiful...although the creature is suppose to be slightly ambiguous in the movie...the shadow that it will create will be most important!

 

Dormant Production Design

I had the pleasure of doing the production design on a short film titled Dormant this past week.  Im really excited for the completed film, the actors were amazing too :)

Christmas Fish Ornaments!

Every Christmas my family back east has a big ornament party, in which each family member creates a unique ornament for exchange.  Every year growing up, I watched my mom make ornaments- and sometimes she would gather ideas for them in the summer time, then wait and begin to make them the last week of November.  After the party, we would receive a big box full of hand-made ornaments from all my aunts and cousins.  It would be such a delight to hang each individualized ornament on our christmas tree.  This year, I decided to take the plunge and make an ornament to be sent to my aunt's house in Massachusetts.  I stayed up until the wee hours of the night creating these little guys...

Foam that I carved- they look like potatoes!

After applying the paper mache, I left them sit in an oven on low heat

I sprayed feathers and the potato-shaped bodies a metallic silver

I created little mouths out of clay and baked them

I applied bolt-nut eyes

and the mouths...

all lined up and ready for their trip back east!

a silver fish...hmmmm

Frigid - a short film by Jack Meggers

In January, I will be beginning a project with Jack Meggers designing and building a scary creature for an ice world.  I am really excited to be part of the team, and also assisting the lovely production designer in the process.  The film is about a six year old boy who inadvertently locks himself in a refrigerator- and the bond between father and son is put to the ultimate test.

More about the project here: www.frigidmovie.com

Building towards Performance

I thought I would put some photos from the building of Edward's House of String, which recently performed at the REDCAT this past September.  Looking at past entries, and particularly about Pascal Lecoq, from Laboratory of Movement Study and the workshop,  I am reminded why I love to build, and begin with a material structure to create movement- which in turn evolves into character and eventually puppetry performance.  My method usually begins with these structures.  After theater training with voice and movement, and learning about the human body in ways it can move and express emotion- the experience has really influenced the puppets I create.  For now, here are some photos of the progress of building Edward and the tree sculpture.  

Edward's skeletal frame. Created with welded rod pieces and wood.  His neck rod is a ball that protrudes out from the back of the torso.  

This is Edward's head, which I sculpted out of insulation foam and then applied paper mache

Inside Eric Cantley's workshop- I wanted the tree to be approx 6 feet taller. (Originally the tree was 8 feet tall in Glasgow, but I wanted it to be around 15 feet)  Eric welded the middle bulbous shape of the tree

Here is the tree sculpture with no dressing- thats a dang tall tree now!

Inside of my apartment (aka rehearsal space!!) Edward is lying on the floor- this is naked Edward!

"Are you Happy Now" music video featuring artwork by Cindy Derby

This is a really great music video from Megan & Liz that features my artwork in their new song "Are you Happy Now"  


Join Shenae Grimes in DoSomething.org and everyone touched by bullying as we come together to help drive awareness for this cause. 


Production Design was by the lovely Victor A Sandoval, Set Decoration by Jane Madden with assistance by Marley Arnold



And here is a behind the scenes video of the making

Blossoming

Tree Blossoming by Cindy Derby

This is a screen shot from a group of stop-motion animation sequences I created of tree branches blossoming after a storm.  

Bridge to Freedom

Bridge to Freedom by Cindy Derby

This is a recent painting I completed today on a big giant canvas!!! about 7 feet by 5 feet :)  It is a painting of a little girl who crosses a bridge from the city and into the depths of her imagination.  It has been a long while since I have built and stretched a canvas- and I have forgotten how much I enjoy it!  Im now going to be doing for every painting I do.  I feel that I experience the spirit of the painting more when I am also creating the base for which the paint lies on top of.  And I do not always put the gesso on in a very structured way- I let it flow, and from  the rough edges of the gesso, I can begin to make out what the painting may become and I begin.  I got frustrated in the midst of the painting because the colors were not seeming to blend together- so I emptied almost an entire bottle of white paint in the center and smudged it all over, yet I kept the remnants of the first layer.  Every painting has its emotional journey.

Thank goodness I used a tarp for this one....

Edward's House of String Photos from REDCAT

I am incredibly happy the way Edward's House of String developed at the REDCAT this September.  I feel I have accomplished what I wanted to in this phase of Edward's journey, and am inspired and grateful for the support I have received in this month build and collaboration with puppeteers, musicians, and technical staff.  I am ready to continue forward on my artistic journey in Los Angeles, where diverse and talented artist come together to make dream worlds come to life.    

Photos by Steve Gunther

Lets take a moment and remember my apartment a month ago...

death of fish 

i was playing in photoshop 3am

Buy your tickets!

Edward's House of String at the REDCAT

Very exciting news :)  I am part of the program for the 2011 New Original Works Festival at the REDCAT in Los Angeles this September.  I am currently working on the new development!!!

Circus Traveler by Cindy Derby

'Scary Tales'

I am currently working as a set dresser on a fairy tale series shot in 3D, here are some photos from the progress.  Last two photos were taken by the lovely photographer Stefania Rosini.  More photos soon!

Hansel & Gretel- Interior Witch House 

Hansel & Gretel - Interior Witch House

Little Red Riding Hood - Interior House


Little Red Riding Hood- Interior Grandmother House

Carl

I am currently working on my next animation-short on a multiplane platform I created in my bedroom in Los Angeles.  Thank god for thick curtains to block out all the light!

Production Photos of The Reptile Under the Flowers

I am so happy to have taken part in a beautiful diorama performance directed and created by Janie Geiser.  It was a great turn-out with sell out audiences every night! This was my first project in Los Angeles, and has brought me into the circle of puppeteers in the city- all wildly creative and genuine individuals. Miggie Wong , an performance artist and puppeteer on the project took some photos that I am ecstatic to share.

And a last photo of (most!) of the puppeteers involved in the show