I don’t like the idea of busing children all over the country. It’s not safe. And there doesn’t seem to be that much of an urgent need for it to be done.

Puppets are pure form then ideas for performance come out of that. It’s always the form and the visuals and that’s why I like to make puppets in a gallery or museum. They’re not often in those contexts.

I’ve been very lucky. I’ve had three separate careers: freelance illustrator, then set designer, puppetteer and animator, and now fine artist. I just bluffed my way into every one of ’em!

Puppets allow a person to express things through this surrogate that wouldn’t normally get expressed. You know there’s famous techniques of puppet therapists. Put this hand puppet on and tell me what the problem is.

Static puppets, I wanted them to move, they’re looking out the windows, but we didn’t have time to rig those. I have more ideas than I can execute also every time that I do anything. I put the puppets in because people love ’em. I’m a populist in that sense.

But I think frustration is hilarious. One of my missions is to bring humor into fine art. It’s sacred.

I throw dignity out the window, and just become a creature of the moment on the stage. I act like I’d never act in real life.

Art should be as inclusive as possible. That’s why I like bringing the low form of puppetry and elevating it into a sculpture form, but it’s still a puppet also.

I’m probably the worst person in the world to give advice to puppeteers. My whole attitude towards puppets from the beginning was not one of love, but it was like anti-puppetry.

Do what you love. It’s going to lead to where you want to go.