Projects
2019
Dancer headdresses and backpacks. Arcadia Bug
Made from recycled materials – we made the bespoke dancer headdresses for Piloxercise Body positive dancing and Arcadia Bug, showcasing at Glastonbury Festival and St. Paul’s Carnival.
Sivaji. Global Grooves
Padmini needed a boyfriend!
Here he is .. he was designed and created by me and my amazing and talented work experience assistants from Plymouth College of Art -Alex Charles, Jesse and Emma. His hair was styled by Mel Roberts , and Helen Thompson fashioned his belts.
Wings. Broken Spectacles
We made some wings, using silk scraps and all things textiles.
For their open air production of Psyche and Cupid
Oxun. Future Leaders
This is a costume I devised with Emily Wood for the Future Leaders Course 2019.
With Emily leading on Batik design and techinque for silk, and myself on Costume Design, technical drawing, pattern-cutting and structure, we facilitated this production for a group of 10 Visual Artists on the course.
The opportunity was for them to develop skills in creating large-scale, carnival, structural costumes. And to give them hands on experience in working in the creative industries.
2018
Padmini. Global Grooves
I designed and created my muse Padmini into a 4m tall puppet.
Leading 4 days of Puppet building workshops for 10 Visual Artists on the future leaders programme. Mentoring these young artists during a hands-on experience, on gaining skills in basic engineering, sculpting, costume and character dressing.
Skills learnt:
Metal work/ metal sculpting
3D applications using foam
Sewing on the stand and on the machine- Giant size.
Technical drawings.
Use of glues and adhesives, specialist practices and equipment.
Project Phoenix. Global Grooves
Designed and created Not 1 but 2 giant puppets!
3m50 tall Oxumare Puppet and Kinky Robot puppet I.O.L.A.
Assisted by several talented individuals: Pete I, Andrianna Moulinos, Elleese Young.
First in Line. Kinetika Bloco
Costume maker.
150 Costumes in all!
25 Dancer Costumes
125 Musicians
1 Mother earth Costume
Made with my team of amazingly talented hands: Helen Thompson and Jane Sneddon with a three week trunaround.
Designer Lesley-Ann Wells
Photos for Kinetika Bloco here and beyond taken by the amazingly talented Richard Fresh-Richi Haynes.
The Wheel House. Acroujou
Wheel Dresser
2017
Future Leaders. Mossley Light Festival 2017
Lead Structural artist
Helping the team of Future Leaders Visual artists to tackle their structural issues on their puppets:
Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games Opening Ceremony 2017
Unity. Kinetika Bloco
Costume maker: 25 dancers skirts
Made with my team of talented artists Alice Wood and Reyes Andivia
Designer Lesley-Ann Wells.
- Kinetika Bloco
Stowe School Roald Dhal Day
A monkey’s tale
Mirfield Carnival
Preston Carnival
Islamic Games Baku Opening and Closing Ceremonies 2017
El Callao Carnival
2016
Moon Puppet. Mossley Light Festival. Global Grooves Manchester
Designer, maker, Lead artist
I was invited to challenge myself. I have always wanted to build my own puppet.
I would love to do more sculpture, and more human forms- especially female.
I asked argescale Puppet maker Tony Mason to provide me with a mechanical skeleton with “something that spins”
Sculpting with Aluminium tube, piano wire and nylon rod, covered in silk strapping and a light stretch gauze.
Thank goodness for Rowan, Rachel, Julie and Kate who got her dressed in time for the show!
Although I call her the “moon puppet” she is one of three puppets who are the same character at different phases in her life.
This phase is industry. The Mills in Mossley.
Special thanks to Global Grooves for the opportunity and to Christian Dyson for photos
- Design
- Spinning Discs
- Illuminated
On Tenterhooks. Exeter Unexpected Festival. Oceanallover/ Exeter Council
Prop Maker
Props for an extraordinary, free performance and music event to mark the 450th anniversary of Exeter’s ship canal.
35 Fly Backpacks, 35 pairs of Fly sticks
7 Stergeherder brollies and hooves
2 Narrator sticks
Assisted once again by my wonderful Family and Helen Thompson.
Event photos by Theo Moye
- Flies: event photo
- Flies: event photo
- mass
- hooves
Rexy the Coach Dinosaur. Unveiling their largest store in the world. Billie Achilleos/ Coach
Lead Artist assisting Designer/Maker Billie with her mammoth Rexy.
Cutting/ adapting/ resewing leather bags to suit the design.
On the Body “Dressing”
Strict caution with the goods. Meticulous attention to detail.
Use of cylinder and flat bed walking foot machines as well as on-the-structure build
- Rexy the Coach DInosaur
The Peacocks. Creating Carnival for Mossley Light Festival Cabasa Carnival Arts
Peacock Puppet Structural and decorative Lead artist
The brief was make two large Peacock puppets using pre-made frames.
The reality was :
Adapting the frame and mechanism to fit the body.
Make two backpacks, the tail structure and joints for frame.
Sculpting peacock heads
Dressing the frame
Co-supervising production with Emily Wood and assisted by Kathy Briggs and Rowan Taylor
The Gifting Tree. Devizes Carnival DOCA Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts
Designer/ maker/ workshop leader/ performer
Tree design and structure by Tony Mason
A piece designed to involve elders who may not easily access Carnival into the Carnival.
Workshops in association with Alzheimer’s Support, the Leisure Centre and Hayward Centre.
Participants were invited to make leaves, recording a moment of celebration in their lives.
Blue and Yellow, Lace and Metal, with a traditional twist…
embracing the dualities of motion, between the world of our physical and spiritual.
Assisted by the fantastic Helen Thompson and my very talented family.
- at the Hayward Centre Devizes
- Getting ready
- The love of embossing
- transparency
- Carnival queen
- Carnival King
- Richard celebrates
- Devizes Carnival
- in preparation
- Like daughter like papa
Bahia to Brixton XV Kinetika Bloco
Costume Maker
Costumes for this year featuring two designs for the dancers which were lovingly made in our studio in Devon.
Lined, darted and made to fit all sizes, for female and male dancers!
Designer: Lesley-Ann Wells
Assisted by the amazing Kitty Power and my family who played a huge part in making this happen!
The Patron’s Lunch Tony Mason and Kinetika Design Studio
Puppet Costume Lead Maker
We created these magnificent puppets for The Patron’s Lunch celebrating the Queen’s 90th birthday.
Designed and executed by Tony Mason, held by Edwina Rigby and Kinetika.
I was responsible for costume-
Pattern cutting off the puppet. Prototyping/ sewing.
Allowing for both puppet and puppeteer movement
Considering design, scale, impact and budget of course
Aren’t they cute?
Photo credits to Edwina Rigby and BBC screenshots
All at Sea Acroujou.
Props/ scenic
Dressing the boat…
This was a last minute contact where I was asked to make a boat look weathered.
And all of this done between wet rehearsals- naturally!
A very enjoyable reminiscence of my years spent on a tall ship…
Desperately Seeking Shakespeare Burn the Curtain.
Costume Designer and Maker
A site-specific interactive performance commissioned by the Museum of London, seeking words to create a master work either as a wandering poet, or as the Night Watch, trying to track down vagabonds…
Coach Monkeys Billie Achilleos/ Coach
Props maker/ Leatherwork/ sewing
Assisting Billie with her crazy Monkeys from bags..!
Lots of precise handsewing and careful attention to detail.
- Billie Achileos
2015
UAE 44 National Day Official Ceremony, Five Currents
Lead Props Maker
Making magic from what is available
Workshop management to international team of 14 members
EXPO 2015 Milan, Kinetika Design Studio
Props Maker
Prototyping Leaf banners/ dunes to strict client specifications.
On site rigging of all flags.
Kinetika Bloco Play On, Kinetika Bloco
Costume Maker
Skirts and headdresses for the annual performance of 25 Dancers
- Kinetika Bloco @ Notting Hill
Baku 2015 European Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Kinetika Design Studio, Five Currents.
Props Maker AKA Ceremonies Ninja.
Taking on crises tasks and making it happen.
Communicating between production, design, making and workforce teams.
Extra-firm pillows, 80 havana-brown sand bags, sliding-pole mechanisms, 15-second carpet display, placard backpacks and a piano.
Royal Opera House Deloitte Festival, Kinetika Design Studio, Royal Opera House.
Costume Maker.
Making Carmen her new skirt for her Opera performance in Covent garden.
‘Cinderella’ , TAODS
Props and ASM
Idollatra, iola
Dolls.
2014
Unexpected Exeter “Circus Carnival Finale”, Exeter Council.
Designing 50 carnival costumes and leading the make with local community, culminating in a procession through Exeter on August 31.
- Circus Finale
Southbank Festival of Love “Tanabata Lanterns”, Kinetika Design Studio and the Japan Society
Head of department/ Structural dresser.
Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare’s Globe. Bill Dudley
Commissioned to make 6 Roman armour suits, helms and limbs.
Bloco “On de Road”, Kinetika Bloco
Headdress and steel pan backpacks Maker
- Kinetika Bloco RFH
Hull freedom Festival “World of Colour Parade” , Cabasa Carnival Arts
Technical expertise on butterfly wings and backpacks.
Make up.
2013
Edward II, National Theatre- Joe Hill-Gibbins
Head of Costume Props
Responsible for realisation of 30 Medieval Helmets, customisation of armour.
- Naitonal Theatre
- National Theatre
- National Theatre
Bloco “on the Corner”, Kinetika Bloco
Rose headdresses Maker and after effects.
- Kinetika Bloco
Rugby League World Cup Opening Ceremony, Kinetika Design Studio
Make up Artist and Workshop Leader
Leading Make-up training and application for 500 participants.
Mill Road Winter Festival, Kinetika- Cambridge.
Tower Costume Designer. Costume Supervisor
Training artists to lead silk-dyeing and batik mobile-making workshops with community groups.
Supporting the learning process from concept design, workshop set-up and project completion.
- Cambridge Winter Festival
Sitare Festival London Designer Outlet 2013-2014. Kinetika Design Studio
Head of Costume
Skirts and headdresses- Training artists and Make-up design.
Engaging 150 pupils from 2 primary schools in Wembley to create Head-dresses and mobiles.
- Wembley
- Wembley
2012
Our Greatest Team Parade, Kinetika Design Studio
Lead Structural Dresser/ pattern cutter/ department training
Structural Dresser of the Olympic Lion puppets created by Tony Mason and pattern cutter for lion manes.
Co-leading training of volunteers with Tony.
Paralympic Closing Ceremonies, Olympic stadium, Kinetika Design Studio
Lead Structural Dresser
for Tony Mason’s carousel creatures and Mike’s Marvellous Machines.
Leading artists and volunteers through the make.
Manchester Day Parade, Kinetika Design Studio
Head of department/ Pattern cutter/ Costume maker: skirts, wings, backpacks, accessories and make-up
Mentoring artists and volunteers with Ali Pretty and Edwina Rigby for “Elevate” training programme with Walk the Plank and Emily Wood.
- Manchester Day Parade
- Manchester Day Parade
- Manchester Day Parade
Dress the World, Kinetika People
Lead Textile artist/ assistant Designer
Creating repeat prints for screen-printing in photoshop, and printing fabric for costumes inspired by the Dress the world exhibition in Nottingham.
Luton and Cambridge Torch Relays, Carnival Crossroads/Kinetika Design Studio
Laminate Costumes and headdresses with Milton Rd Primary and Comberton College Arts GCSE.
Basingstoke World Party in the Park, 2011 and 2012. Kinetika Design Studio/ The Making, Basingstoke Council
Mobiles Workshop Leader making 60+ mobiles for final procession involving Design, Batik and Silk dyeing with pupils from infant schools, KS1, KS2, KS3 and KS4 for D&T Textiles GCSE
2011
Maison & Objet exhibition 2013 “Tab Lamps”, Barber Osgerby
Prototyping a professional cover for Tab Lamps- Japanese rice paper on aluminium frame
Notting Hill Carnival Queen Costume, Yaa Asantewaa
Queen skeleton costume for stilt-walking and illustration of band designs.
Summers Town Carnival & 40yr Bangladesh Independence, South Camden Community College, British Museum.
Leading 100 KS3 art students and public to create exotic birds head-dresses for carnival.
Hackney One Carnival, Kinetika Design Studio
Head of structural costume: Pattern- cutting, sewing and rigging Wings, flags, skirts.
Assisting in Batik.
Kingston International Youth Arts Festival, Kinetika People
Creating 55 banners and 100 large bunting triangles.
Latin American Worker’s Association Banners
Batiking and rigging silk banners with members of the public in Elephant and Castle Mall.
Conceptualised to promote the Association to Latin-american and other minority communities in London.
2010
Bexleyheath Carnival “Grumblebum”, Kinetika
Costuming large Victorian school-teacher puppet created by Tony Mason.
Schools workshops making laminate hard-hats and crowns
2009
Fifa Club World Cup UAE Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Kinetika Design Studio
Assistant to Designer Ali Pretty.
Department overview: costume, dye room, structure and production management.
Introducing a cost and time efficient system by digitalising designs using photoshop and illustrator, making these accurately transferrable to large-scale.
Ghost Ship, Walk The Plank
Body painting the https://www.facebook.com/TheUPGTeam UPG Parkour members who performed in the celebration of the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII’s accession to the throne, and the commissioning of his favourite ship – the Mary Rose.
Peter Pan Kensignton Gardens, Bill Dudley
Assistant dresser for Tony Mason’s crocodile puppet
Bangla Queen, Kinetika
Touring costumes celebrating Bengali women, performing on Brick lane Mela and the UKCCA launch.
2008
Alicia Keys European and US tour production O2 arena, Kite Related Design
Take That “Circus tour”
Keane Perfect Symmetry World Tour
Reckitt Benckiser RB – Corporate re-brand,
Precision sewing and maintaining department objectives for high profile, bespoke commissions:
2007
Beijing Youth Olympics, Kinetika Design Studio
Costume and Headdresses Maker and workshop Leader. Workshop management.
Make-up and Technician for unveiling of Mandela Statue 2007.
- Textiles
“Cinderella” Old Vic Theatre, Kite Related Design
Sewing giant inflatable pumpkin.
“Aida” English National Opera, Kinetika Design Studio and Zandra Rhodes
Lead artist on reconstruction of Large-scale elephant to a lighter, performable puppet.
Tiger and Emperor , Kinetika Design Studio and Walk The Plank
Large-scale costume, Dressing and make-up.
2006
Ti Jean and his Brothers, Kinetika
Bloco Headdreses and workshop leader/ Make-up design
Henley Regatta Finale, Henley Council/ Kinetika Design Studio
Creating costumes for the finale procession of 200 + performers with 6 Primary Schools and D&T Textiles GCSE
- Henley Regatta 2005
- Henley Regatta
Tiger Out East ,Kinetika Design Studio
Structural dresser and pattern cutter for animated bengal tiger made by Tony Mason and Mike Pattison
Make up design
- Tiger Out East Brick Lane Mela
Trinidad Carnival “Threads of Joy” , Brian Mc Farlane
Large-scale silk dyeing for costumes winning Band of the year.
- Trinidad Carnival
- Mc Farlane’s Threads of Joy
- Mc Farlane’s Threads of Joy
2005
Roads to Freedom, Kinetika
Bloco Costume Workshop Leader/ Make up Design
- Notting Hill Carnival
Derby Carnival, Kinetika
Derby Queen structural/dye/ pattern cut and sew for large-scale. Mentored by Murphy winters
- Derby Queen
2004
Space is the Place, Kinetika Bloco
Designed and made costumes with 150 bloco partcipants for Thames Festival.
- jackals
- SPace is the Place
- Space is the Place
“Greenfield Light” Glastonbury Festival, Peter Hilary
Creating large-scale willow and japan rice paper lanterns [/h6]
London Torch Relay, Kinetika and Greenwhich and Docklands Festivals
Visited 15 primary schools and led Design, Batik and Flag-making workshops aiming to create 100 giant flags for the London Torch Relay.
- London Torch Relay 2004
2003
“Din Shuru” touring, Kinetika
Assisting in making backpacks for performers, cross pollinating with sewn costume.
Designing make-up
2002
“Yemanja” Ryde Carnival and Thames Festival, Kinetika
Oxun puppet costume design.
Oxun section headdress and accessories workshops in schools.
Band make-up.
- Canterbury WInter Festival 2002 Bird mobiles
2001
“Celebrate South Africa” Thames Festival , Kinetika
Sculpted the african heads for 16ft puppets, assisting in structure. Full puppet body paint, dressing and extensions: hair, hands, breasts.
- Kinetika
- Thames Festival
- Kinetika
Ryde Carnival, Kinetika
Costume, structural, head-dresses and make-up departments volunteer.
Pattern-cutting laminate puppet with Murphy Winters, as well as making simple backpacks, incorporating structure into mobiles, wings and skirts.
Southampton Carnival, Southampton City Council
Artist assistant in schools, attended training day and made and performed jellyfish costume