CV

Current student of MSc Art Psychotherapy (2021-) Queen Margaret University

Graduate of The Curious School of Puppetry (2018)

BA(Hons) Performance Costume (2012-2016) Edinburgh College of Art

Jobs

Sleeping Warrior Theatre Company, Greenock
Puppet Maker; Aug 2021 - Sep 2021

I made some collaged puppets with a talking mouth mechanism for the hilarious musical Spuds.
https://sleepingwarriortheatre.com/spuds

Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, Edinburgh
Puppetry Storyteller; Dec 2020 -

I have been lucky enough to perform every few months at The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh. I create a little puppetry show to take around the wards based on a seasonal theme: Christmas, Springtime, Summer Carnival etc. It is always a rewarding experience.

Lyra Arts, Edinburgh
Performing Arts Commission Artist; Sep 2020 - Jun 2021

I worked with a group of young artists from the Craigmillar area to create a puppetry performance. We were supposed to meet in real life but due to restrictions we took our classes online and explored puppetry techniques and storytelling through Zoom! We made a performance film that was premiered in Jun 2021 entitled 2020 Vision and you can watch it here:
https://youtu.be/F20jCoAxiWw

Tortoise in a Nutshell, Edinburgh
Design Assistant; Jan 2020

I helped with the design of Ragnarok: I designed and made masks, headpieces and sourced and made costumes.

Royal Lyceum Theatre Creative Learning Department, Edinburgh
Project Humbug Artist; Sep - Dec 2019

I was one of the artists on Project Humbug working with school children in Edinburgh. My role involved going around primary schools and running workshops about set, costume and puppetry. The children produced very imaginative set models, costume designs and puppets and I enjoyed the experience immensely.

Royal Lyceum Theatre Creative Learning Department, Edinburgh
Costume and Set Lecturer; Nov 2018 and 2019

I was invited to give lectures in costume and set design to students on the course An Introduction to Theatre run by the Lyceum and The University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Open Learning. It was very rewarding to share my knowledge with interested adult learners.
https://lyceum.org.uk/take-part/community/col-the-lyceum-an-introduction-to-theatre

Puppet Animation Scotland, Aberdeenshire
Workshop Leader; Sep 2019

I was resident at Chapel of Garioch Primary School in Aberdeenshire for a week, teaching the children about puppetry and building puppets together based on the legends of Bennachie.

Horsecross Arts Creative Learning Department, Perth
Set Design Workshop Facilitator; Sep 2019

I taught primary school children all about set design at Perth Theatre. This was part of the Set Design Challenge 2019.

Manipulate Festival with Puppet Animation Scotland, Edinburgh
Creator and Performer;Feb 2019

I was in two shows during the Manipulate visual theatre festival 2019 - Testroom and Snapshots 1. I was involved in the devising, designing, making and performing of two 15 minute pieces entitled Big Wee Bee and The Heart is Asleep.

Picture to Puppet, Edinburgh
Puppet Maker; Sep 2018 - May 2019

I worked for this company to produce bespoke puppets and soft toys. This varied job involved hand sewing, machine stitching and a good dose of creativity.
https://picturetopuppet.co.uk/

Royal Lyceum Theatre Creative Learning Department, Edinburgh
Project Neverland Artist; Sep - Dec 2018

I was one of the artists on Project Neverland working with school children in Edinburgh. My role involved going around primary schools and running workshops about set, costume and puppetry. The children produced very imaginative set models, costume designs and puppets and I enjoyed the experience immensely.

Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh
Children’s Story Box Facilitator; Aug 2018

This job was about delivering drop-in activities for children and families at the book festival. Some activities were designed by us and others involved supporting illustrators. It required a great deal of friendly customer service and keeping the space and materials in good condition.

Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh
Opening Event Assistant; Jul - Aug 2018

I helped with the EIF’s 2018 Opening Event Five Telegrams in association with the Year of Young People. My role involved getting costumes and props to the right places, looking after performers and making sure everything ran smoothly.
https://www.eif.co.uk/whats-on/five-telegrams

Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
Costume Designer; Jul 2018

I designed the costumes for 60 young people taking part in the Lyceum’s Summer on Stage programme. In three weeks, myself and the wardrobe team rustled up the costumes for plays Us and Them and Antigone. This was a fast paced job with very satisfying results on stage.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lyceumtheatre/albums/72157699106187284

Tragic Carpet, Edinburgh
Designer, Maker and Performer; Apr - Jun 2018

I collaborated with Freda O’Byrne to create the show The Keeper performed at Hidden Door Festival 2018. I helped create the set, made a tabletop puppet and was one of the performer/puppeteers. The story is based on the Seven Ravens by the Brothers Grimm but reinvented to be about a young woman in the 21st century who uses coding to get her brothers back. I enjoyed working on a tale which was the antithesis of the damaging ‘damsel in distress’ story.
https://tragiccarpet.com/the-keeper-hidden-door-2018/

Chick Whittington, Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling
Costume Assistant; Nov 2017

I returned to the Macrobert costume team to make many outlandish costumes for the 2017 Panto, Chick Whittington. This time I made lots of cat hats and helped with some fabulous dame outfits.
http://macrobertartscentre.org/event/chick-whittington/

Project Genie, Royal Lyceum Theatre Creative Learning Department, Edinburgh
Project Genie Artist; Sep - Dec 2017

I was one of the artists on Project Genie working with school children in Edinburgh. My role involved going around primary schools and special schools running lessons about set, costume and prop design. The children produced very imaginative set models, headdresses and props and I enjoyed the experience immensely.
https://lyceum.org.uk/take-part/schools-programme/school-projects/project-genie/

Home Sweet Garden, Asylon Theatre, Edinburgh
Designer, Maker and Performer; Jul - Aug 2017

I designed and made the majority of the set, costumes and puppets for the children’s Fringe show, Home Sweet Garden. I was also one of the two performer/puppeteers and it was a very valuable experience to be working behind the scenes and on stage.
http://asylontheatre.org/homeSweetGarden.html

Project Bambert, Imaginate, Edinburgh
Project Bambert Artist; May 2017

I was invited to be one of the artists on Project Bambert - a creative learning project inspired by one of the shows at the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival. Our role was to go into schools and give a one day workshop on how to build a set model box. The children’s creativity was incredible and the experience was very rewarding.
http://www.imaginate.org.uk/artists/projects/project-bambert/

Golden Hare Books, Edinburgh
Storyteller; Jan 2017 - May 2018

I held Sunday morning storytelling sessions for children at independent book shop, Golden Hare Books. Each session began with me reading one of the beautiful picture books from the store, followed by a game and/or craft activity connected to the story. It was a very rewarding job.

Robin, Frozen Charlotte Productions, Edinburgh
Design Assistant; Nov - Dec 2016

I helped children’s theatre company Frozen Charlotte refresh their Christmas family show, Robin. During my time with the team I repaired puppets, added to the set and made some new costumes. The atmosphere was very creative and collaborative and it was fulfilling to add my own touch to the production.

Black Beauty, Traverse Theatre Company & Red Bridge Arts, Edinburgh
Costume Assistant; Oct - Nov 2016

I assisted Shona Reppe with the costumes for the Traverse Christmas show, Black Beauty. This involved working out how to make the body of a pantomime horse and constructing leatherette hooves. A very enjoyable, collaborative experience which also gave me a deep insight into the devising process.
https://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event-detail/881/black-beauty.aspx

Weans in the Wood, Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling
Costume Assistant; Nov 2016

I was part of the team making many outrageous costumes for the Macrobert 2016 Panto, Weans in the Wood. During my time here I made fairy wings, wolf feet and woodland sprite capes. There was a very busy atmosphere and an excellent team so it was a rewarding experience all in all.
http://macrobertartscentre.org/event/weans-in-the-woods/

Dragon Matrix, Vision Mechanics, Edinburgh
Maker; Sep 2016

I helped make costumes and props for the interactive Vision Mechanics show, Dragon Matrix. During my time here I helped sew together costumes and make installation pieces to be hung outdoors in Monikie forest.

Starcatchers, Edinburgh
Emerging Artist Bursary; Aug - Sep 2016

I took part in the Starcatchers Emerging Artist Bursary: assisting with their weekly ’Expecting Something’ classes for young mums and their babies. This has given me the opportunity to try out some performance and workshop ideas with an enthusiastic group of women and toddlers. It was a helpful, sometimes challenging, but rewarding experience and built my confidence with very small children.

Pinocchio, Iris Theatre, London
Costume Assistant; July 2015

For two weeks I helped costume designer Denise Andersson as she prepared for Iris Theatre’s upcoming performance of Pinocchio. It was a wonderful experience which involved many different making skills: sewing, breaking down, papier mache and painting. Two other girls from my class were also assisting at that time and with our strong teamwork we achieved a great deal in a short time.
http://iristheatre.com/event/pinocchio/

Yumi Girl, London
Intern; June 2015

During my two week internship with childrenswear brand Yumi Girl, I learnt how a small fashion company operates. It was interesting to see the many stages from moodboard to garment and all the communication between the office and factories in India and China. My Adobe suite skills were very useful as my tasks included helping with the look book using InDesign and tracing silhouettes in Illustrator.

Magic Sho, Shona Reppe and Catherine Wheels, Edinburgh
Costume Assistant; June 2015

I spent just over a week assisting the costume designer Alison Brown as she worked with children’s theatre creator, Shona Reppe, during the devising period of her new piece, Magic Sho. It was very inspiring to see the show starting to take shape, observe and contribute to the construction process. I learnt a great deal about collaboration between performer, director and designer and got to help with fabric shopping and costume making.
http://www.shonareppe.co.uk/magic-sho.html

Alien Adventures! Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh
Performer/Co-creator/Costume and Prop maker; Nov 2014

With some of my classmates I took part in devising and performing a children’s show about going on an “Alien Adventure.” We came up with the idea as a way to use the stories and costumes we made for our final second year project. It was a very fun project and great theatre experience as we saw the project from start to finish: from the point of view of creator and performer. It also really engaged our collaborative and time managing skills.
http://www.eca.ed.ac.uk/school-of-design/news-events/performance-costume-students-go-stratospheric

Letters Home, Grid Iron Theatre Company, Edinburgh
Design Assistant; Jul 2014

For two weeks I worked with Grid Iron Theatre Company in the run up to their summer show Letters Home. It was a wonderful experience to work as part of an energetic design team; helping to source, design and make costumes and props. I learnt a great deal about site-specific theatre design and sticking to a budget. http://www.gridiron.org.uk/production_type/letters-home-2/

Scottish Opera, Glasgow
Wardrobe Intern; Jul 2014

I spent two weeks working in the wardrobe department of Scottish Opera whilst they were preparing for the show Anamchara – Songs of Friendship. During my time there I helped with the organisation of all the costumes, labelling and adjustments. I also got the opportunity to make a whole garment myself, which was worn during the performance. It was an enlightening experience that showed me the grand scale of opera and the attention to detail required for designing and making opera costumes.

Scottish Ballet, Glasgow
Wardrobe Intern; Jun 2014

During my two weeks with Scottish Ballet I learnt how a working wardrobe is maintained and helped with sorting out costumes that had been on tour. I got to examine ballet costumes up close and learn how they differ from other theatre costumes. In the second week, designer Lez Brotherston came to oversee fittings for the Nutcracker. It was fascinating to observe this prototype stage and the collaboration between designer, maker and dancer.

Professional Development

Puppets in Prague, Prague
Marionette Carving Course; Jun 2019

I took part in a two week marionette carving course with the renowned company, Puppets in Prague. I learnt how to make technical drawings, how to prepare wood, how to use machines, carve wood, paint a puppet, construct a puppet, make a marionette costume, a controller and how to string a marionette. It was a thorough education and I walked away with a lovely marionette called Carmen.
http://www.puppetsinprague.eu/index.html

Curious School of Puppetry, Edinburgh
Jan - Mar 2018

I did this intensive 10 week course run by Sarah Wright and the Curious School of Puppetry. It was life changing and has greatly widened my understanding of puppets and the art of puppeteering. This practical training has given me experience of tabletop, glove, marionette, shadow puppetry and object manipulation.
http://curiouspuppetry.com/

Imaginate, Edinburgh
Trickster-p Masterclass; Apr 2017

This five day masterclass was a whirlwind guide to creating immersive installation experiences. As participants, we got an insight into the marvellous minds of Cristina Galbiati and Ilija Luginbühl: their process and motives. We worked alone and in pairs with tasks and prompts from Trickster to stimulate our imaginations. In the end, we came up with very varied and exciting space designs. Overall, I feel my creative process has undergone a revolution.

Moving Parts, Newcastle
Acting the Puppet with Gavin Glover; Mar 2017

During this two day workshop, I learnt many different puppeteering techniques. We got to play with finger puppets, Bunraku-style puppets, heads with arms and wearable puppets. Working by ourselves, in pairs and small groups, we got to explore adding weight, breath and character to puppets without using words.

Imaginate, Edinburgh
PUSH Lab Workshop with Yvon Bonenfant; Feb 2017

As part of the week long initiative PUSH Gender Lab, I participated in a one day workshop with voice expert Yvon Bonenfant. He introduced the group to the idea of the ‘queer’ voice, which he deems as anything ‘extra-normal’. Through a very informative presentation and some fun practical activities, we explored how much potential we have inside our bodies to make a vast range of noises.

Puppet Animation Scotland, Edinburgh

Seed of a City - Object Theatre Masterclass with Olivier Ducas; Jan 2017

I was lucky enough to participate in this three day, enlightening masterclass with object theatre expert, Olivier Ducas. As a group, we were gently led through the foundations of his practice and had many opportunities to develop our own style. I emerged full of inspiration and hungry to further explore the potential of objects as storytelling devices.

Puppet Animation Scotland, Edinburgh
The Shadow and The Moving Image - A Workshop with Norbert Götz; Dec 2016

I participated in a stimulating workshop held by Norbert Götz in conjunction with Puppet Animation Scotland. Over two days we were introduced to the foundations of shadow theatre and explored the nuances of different light sources, screens, settings and puppets. The time frame only allowed Norbert to convey the basics of shadow theatre but the sheer volume of information was overwhelming and incredibly eye-opening.

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh
Starting with Stories Workshop; Oct 2016

I took part in this one day workshop with storyteller and educator Kate Walker. It was a very hands-on introduction to storytelling: we learnt new skills and everyone got the opportunity to have a go. The session was incredibly helpful and built my confidence in telling stories to an audience.

SAND Festival, Kristiansand
Lawrence Malstaf Workshop; Sep 2016

I was fortunate enough to attend SAND International Festival of Performing Arts for a Young Audience. I was participating in a workshop with scenographer Lawrence Malstaf as part of the ASSITEJ Next Generation Placement Programme. The workshop ’centred around the exploration of an “inflatable” – a bubble filled with air – and the relationship between the life like bubble, space and movement and physical interaction between object, audience and performer.’ After 1.5 days of exploring ideas we put on a small performance for some of the festival delegates. The feedback was encouraging and it was very refreshing to work with new people with different backgrounds and from different countries.

Tortoise in a Nutshell, Edinburgh
Devising Theatre and Puppeteering Workshops; June/July 2016

I have taken part in two workshops with Edinburgh visual theatre company, Tortoise in a Nutshell. They primarily specialise in puppet productions for younger audiences and it was very rewarding to learn from them about the devising process and puppeteering.

Scenehouse, Edinburgh
Puppet and Prop Making Course; July 2016

I undertook a two week making course with the Edinburgh-based company Scenehouse who provide training in design and making for live performance. It was a great experience as I learnt carpentry skills, how to make moulds, cast objects and many different puppet-making techniques.