karen
hethey
director - animateur - puppetry artist - intercultural performance - spectacle - community engagement - consultancy
Karen Hethey
Director - Animateur - Puppetry Artist - Intercultural Spectacle Performance Maker - Collaborator
Community Cultural Development Consultant
BA Hons (applied Anthropology) University of Western Australia
contact: hethey@tpg.com.au
mob: +61 409377993
Cross-cultural theatre, indigenous community performance & arts projects
Western Australia - Northern Territory - Queensland - New SouthWales - South Australia
2021/22 Creative Director/Puppetry Artist/Sound designer Kaarak and Marri Tree Puppet Project. Initiated by Kylie Barr as a cultural ecology COVID Recovery community resilience project through Bassendean Primary School. Working in collaboration with Noongar Elders and artists, Peter Framer, Miranda Farmer, Derek Nannup, Kobi Morrison, Mulgana Movement facilitator Janine Oxenham and in partnership with Trillion Trees, City of Bassendean, City of Swan, Karaak Rehabilitation Centre and River Rangers. A large scale puppetry and cultural and arts exchange performance project travelling through the Noongar six seasons exploring the importance and responsibility of totemic understanding and learning the cultural significance of connecting environment, identity, responsibility and story as a way of learning and taking care of critically endangered environments and creatures. Performances presented at Bassendean Primary School, Kambarang Festival, Celebrating Birak Town of Bassendean, NAIDOC events Bayswater 2022.
2021 Animateur/Creative Puppetry Director for Kambarang Pupppet Project, a cultural ecology puppetry and arts performance project for Kambarang Festival Midland Western Australia. Project in partnership with Trillion Trees, City of swan, Upbeat Events, Elders Dr Noel Nannup, Nan Roma Winmar, Moorditj Noongar Community College, Woodbridge Primary School Noongar musician Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse.
2021/22 Lead Puppetry Artist in residence Juluwarlu Aboriginal Artists Group, Roebourne Pilbara leading Creative Development of Creation Stories Puppetry performance for the Ngurra Nyujunggamu Creation Puppets Project. In collaboration with Yindjibarndi leaders, elders, youth, community, IF Foundation and artists further developing original and new creation stories and puppets for large scale puppetry performances for festivals and other opportunities.
2020/21 Collaborator/Puppetry Director with UWA Centre for Social impact and Dr Noel Nannup, Professor Richard Walley, Carol Innes, Sharon Woods-Kenny developing the Ni! Bilyada Waangany! Listen The Rivers are Speaking! culture, ecology and puppetry project for the Meeka Moorat opening event of the Danjoo Koorliny Summit and Festival.
2019/20 Creative Director/Animateur Place Names Mulka Dreaming Story Project CAN WA and Katanning Nyoongar Leadership Group larges scale community spectacle puppetry performance project.
2019 Artist in Residence Cultural Puppetry Project working with Juluwarlu Aboriginal Corporation Lorraine Coppin, Michael Woodley and JAC artists in Roebourne for opening of new Ganalilli, Pilbara
2018 Artist in residence Guildford Grammar College for Dookorniny Project creating large scale cultural puppets with Nyungar/Minang artist Andrew Beck and students for Dookorniny performance with WA Symphony Orchestra.
2018 Shadow Puppet collaborator and workshop co-designer/facilitator for Shadowlines cross-cultural storytelling and shadow puppetry workshops and performance with Mowanjum Art Centre Artists Leah Umbagai, Cecelia Umbagai and Manager Ella Doolan for Barangaroo NAIDOC Festival "Because of her we can", Sydney.
2018 Puppetry Artist and Project Designer “The Blue Butterfly Project” for Trillion Trees with Dr Noel Nannup, Gina Williams, Guy Ghouse and schools for Cullture Ecology and Environment Puppetry performance.
2018 Dramaturg/Animateur/Performance collaborator Message Sticks Nothampton WA Nhanda/Mulgana country connections creative development presentation in collaboration with Colleen Drage, Mauretta Drage, Rebecca Miller, Janeen Oxenham
2017 Lead Artist/Puppetry Design Facilitator/Animateur/Dramaturgical Director for “Our Language Matters” Cultural Exchange Art camp and Puppetry and Animation performance project for opening of NAIDOC Festival Kalgoorlie. Working with Creative Producer Stephanie Beck, Wongai Story Teller Josie Boyle, Illuminart artists Zero and John Carberry, sound designer Sean Lilico and Tjuma Pulka Media Corporation. Initiated as a creative response to the support community resilience following the killing of Elijah Dougherty.
2017 Lead Artist/Animateur/Co-director of “Mandaboornap Dreaming” large scale site specific spectacle puppetry production of a Nyungar traditional story for the opening of the regional “Festival of The Winds, with Nyungar Elders, Community and Esperance Community Arts and Escare, Esperance
2017 Puppetry Artist Performer/Devisor for Creative Development of “Two Rivers Talking” Nhikina Story for Theatre Kimberley Broome/Derby written by Gwen Knox and Dr Anne Paulina.
2015 Dramaturg for indigenous choreographer Janeen Oxenham for AusDance WA Future Landings Regional dance performance project “Willy Willy”, Carnarvon
2014/15 Puppetry Director/Designer/facilitator for opening performances of The Chamber of Rhetoric, Kalbarri, Zest Festival, artistic Director Rebecca Millar.
2014/15/17 Artist in residence Mowanjum Arts Centre developing shadow puppet and spectacle puppetry performances of traditional stories with traditional custodians, song men and women and children for performances at Marsh Art Festival & Mowanjum Cultural Festival, Derby.
2015 Artistic Director/Animateur for the opening cross-cultural water spectacle community puppetry performance Mandjarr Dreaming for Mandurah Stretch Festival
2013/14 Artistic Director/Animateur for Black Swan State Theatre Company WA Stories project “How High The River” crosss-cultural theatre performance and design project Carnarvon WA
2014-16 Artist in Residence/Animateur for Gascoyne in May Festivals “Architects of Spectacle” & “Narrators of the Shipwreck Coast” spectacle puppetry project, Shark Bay, Carnarvon,Exmouth.
2013/14 Artist in Residence with Sue Ryan for Ghostnets Australia in partnership with Tangaroa Blue,Australian Conservation,Marpoon Land and Sea Rangers, Blackmoores- Marine Debris and ghostnet sculpture installation project QLD Museum, Sydney Australian National Maritime Museum and New Zealand museums touring exhibition.
2013. Sculptures by the Sea - Cottesloe WA Ghostnet Crocodile Sculpture. Created at Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair with Cecile Williams, Sue Ryan, Frank Petero, Angela Torenbeek and Georgia Curry with Ghostnets Australia. Touring Exhibit to Townsville QLD. Purchsed by WA Museum. On permanent exhibition at the Connections Gallery Boorla Bardip, Perth.
2012 Sculptures by the Sea - Bondi NSW - Ghostnet Crocodile Sculpture. Created at Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair with Cecile Williams, Sue Ryan, Frank Petero, Angela Torenbeek and Georgia Curry with Ghostnets Australia. Winner of Children's Choice award.
2011 Artist in Residence Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair QLD. Artist with Ghostnets Australia co-facilitating with Cecile Williams, Sue Ryan, Frank Petero, Angela Torenbeek and Georgia Curry from Marpoon, Thursday Island, Murray Island, Elcho Island, Erub, Darnley and Moa Island (Torres Straits) public workshops in Ghostnets art practise and large scale sculpture making.
2012 Professional Mentor Cross-cultural arts and community development practise to emerging artist Rosie Holmes through OzCo JUMP National Mentoring Program for Young and Emerging Artists, Sydney, Perth, Warmun, Kimberleys, WA
2012 Invited Australian artist/ccd consultant to Meta-Meta International gathering of cross-cultural artists, creatives and community development practitioners engaged in change through creative and artistic strategies held in Yogjakarta Indonesia.
2011 Artist in Residence Warmun (Turkey Creek) and Kununurra (WA) through Gidja Total Health and Kununurra Youth Services Emergency Flood recovery response. Large scale puppet design and construction and participation in Ord Valley Muster Street Parade. Invited as part of the emergency response to engage youth and community in ongoing projects using art, culture, story and country visits as a strategy of recovery, community resilience and re-engagement.
2011/13. Puppet Designer and facilitator Kellerberin WA, The Keela Dreaming Festival “ExtravagAntza” Kellerberin Nyoongar Progress Association and Community Arts Network WA. Large scale puppet designer, workshop construction and manipulation in collaboration with Nyoongar Elders, community and prison inmates.
2010 Artist with Ghostnets Australia. Artists in Residence with Ilka White St Pauls Community Moa Island Torres Straits QLD Shadow Puppet Community performance and film project conveying personal stories and experiences of the impacts of discarded trawler nets on cultural and marine ecology. Interpreted into 3 languages and shown in national touring exhibitions “Life in Your Hands: Art from Solastagia” and international presentations in Paris, Monaco, Switzerland, Brazil, Alaska, Hawaii, France, Indonesia, New Zealand.
2007 Artist in Residence Yarri Wadi Walgarra Puppetry Project Mowanjum & Gibb River Road. A specialised Million Puppets residency in partnership with Derby Tafe, Zonta & Community Health and artists and traditional owners from the Worrorra, Warrnambal & Nygarinyin language groups and countries of the Kimberley. Artists cultural story exchange and skills development residency to enable indigenous artists to interpret their traditional imagery and cultural stories into contemporary puppetry art forms.
1996-1999 Associate Director/Performer/ Puppet Designer/Consultant/contributing writer The Sugarman Project Written and Directed by Dr Craig San Roq, Chris Brocklebank and Intjartnama Aborignal Corporation Ntaria Land Trust, Walpiri, Pintubi and Western Arrernte Senior Custodians and Law Men and Women & Sugarman Productions Alice Springs NT. Initaited as a response to questions raised by Senior Law men and women as an alternative approach to alcohol use and misuse. The project was a major community based cross-cultural story exchange and development project, that wove together Tjukkurrpa, traditional indigenous stories and art forms together with ancient Greek mythology and contemporary western performance styles to create a shared visual performative language and spectacle performance presentations. Performances, installations, creative developments and exhibitions held at Intjartnama Outstation & Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs NT.
Professional Puppetry& Theatre
2021 Guest artist leading 2 day professional artists intensive on collaborative process as part of the Mycillium Project for Denmark Arts and Southern Forest Arts.
2019 Guest Puppetry Director for remount of The Package puppetry production written and devised by Kateln Griffin with Rob Hoad, Rosie Wild, Anders Pfieffer for Artback NT regional and festival tour.
2018/19 Guest artist CircusWA directing and designing street theatre work with youth performance troupes for the Fremantle Long Table Dinner.
2018 Guest Director in association with Bec Bradley & Spare Parts Puppet Theatre for creative development/production of Valentine clown and puppetry performance created by Rachael Woodward presented at Spare Parts Puppet Theatre and Awesome Children's Festival.
2016 Guest Australian puppetry artist invited to participate in the creative development of Transit with Cecile Doutey and Pascal Vergnot for Theatre Pour 2 Mains, Nantes France.
2013 Puppet Designer/Performance Director for SWERVE’s roving spectacle performance commissioned by UWA for the LuminousNight 100th Anniversary Opening event in association with Perth International Arts Festival.
2012 Puppeteer/Performer ERTH Visual & Physical Theatre Company Dinosaur Petting Zoo Perth seasons I & II WA Museum Perth.
2010 Guest Artist leading Puppetry Poetics 5 day Master Class intensive in professional puppetry performance making and puppetry for the Magdalena Project International Workshop Festival for Women Theatre Makers Perth Chapter.
2009 Animateur, co-designer, concept artist & maker for SWERVE’s performance of Prelude commissioned by PIAF as an introduction to The Laya Project a musical project initiated by musicians affected by the 2004 Tsunami.
2009 Production assistant to Royale Deluxe French puppetry company for their performance installation The Revolt of the Mannequins Perth International Arts Festival.
2008 - 12 Puppeteer/performer Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, International performance of award winning production of Shaun Tan's The Arrival at Le Festival Mondial de Theatre de Marrionette, Charlesville France and presentation at IPAY Clevelend USA 20th, UNIMA World Puppetry Congress and Festival, and National Regional Theatres Tour, TAS, VIC, NSW, ACT & NT.
2007/08 Principal Director/Animateur, Co-design artist, performance co-director, devisor, puppet maker & project manager for SWERVE A Garden of Aussie Delights large scale spectacle puppetry performance commissioned by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre for the 20th UNIMA World Congress and Puppetry Festival 2008.
2004 Co-director, co-designer with Bryan Woltjen Animus Maximus closing street theatre spectacle puppetry event for Joondalup Festival.
2002-7 Commissioned artist designing and creating large scale puppets for Joondalup Parade as part of Joondalup Festival.
2002 - 2013 Puppeteer/Performer/Tutor SPPT for creative development of SPLAT, theatre seasons, school & regional touring of The Midnight Gang, Grenedel & The Gladiator, Blue Back, The Muttaburrasaurus, Out of This World, The Arrival, Aquasapiens and ongoing specialist puppetry tutoring/making workshops.
2002/3/4 Professional Puppet manipulation and construction training intensives with Noriko Nishimoto, Philip Mitchell, Jerka Zmitko, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre Perth.
2002 Performer Hysteria DeckChair Theatre and DADAAWA. Theatre project and performance Directed by Angela Chaplin, written by Caroline Reid based on personal stories of women experiencing mental health issues.
2001 Professional Mentor in clown and theatre skills to emerging DADAWA performance artist with a disability Nick . Co-devising and co-performing a cabaret performance for UglieLand Fremantle Festival.
2000 - 2001 Solo Performance "Hairsuit" written directed and performed by Karen Hethey. Presented at Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts Putting on an Act Festival 2000, selected for The Director's Cut final performances. Selected for Pride Theatre Season 'Extremities' 2001 presented at The Blue Room Theatre.
Independent Artists Projects
2017/18 Artists collaborative installation/exhibiton project “Austra-lyan- iality” initiated by Matt Mcveigh and Curtis Taylor through the Janet Holmes A Court gallery, exploring artistic collaborations of contemporary Australian cultural identity and conflict.
2012 Professional Mentor Cross-cultural arts and community development practise to emerging artist Rosie Holmes through OzCo JUMP National Mentoring Program for Young and Emerging Artists, Sydney, Perth, Warmun WA
2012 Dramaturge and Puppetry Consultant on Red Shoes production of site specific performance Under Today written, devised and directed by Dani Powell Alice Springs NT
2010 Director, Scriptwriter and puppet designer in collaboration with visual artist and designer Sally Mumford of Stage 1 of The Patteran Project (NT/WA collaboration)
2009 Co-director/dramaturg & puppetry consultant for Red Dust Theatre (NT) production of Morgan & Molly written, co-directed and designed by Michael Watts.
2008 Co-Director of “Broom!Broom!” created by independent clown and physical theatre company Flying Heart Productions performed at Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, Subiaco Arts Centre WA, Singapore Children’s Festival.
2007 Puppeteer and performance collaborator Woman Incognita aerial puppetry development with aerial specialist Nel Simpson and designer Bryan Woltjen, resulting in performance presentation at Broome Worn Art.
2000/01 Writer/devisor/perfiormer Hairsuit solo performance at PICA Putting on an Act Director’s Cut and selected for
season of short theatre works at The Blue Room for Pride Festival “Extremeties”
2001/02. The Lacuna Project Site specific performance and visual art installation project at Lake Barlee Goldfields, Fremantle laneways, and the Moores Building WA conveying stories of the Lake Barlee salt lakes and environment.Researched and devised in collaboration with Jo Harcourt Smith, David Smyth, Perdita Phillips, Johnathon Mustard, Sunny Drake et al.
SWERVE Assoc. Inc Specialist Mulit-Arts Site Specifc Spectacle Pyrotechnic Theatre
2009. Director/Devisor/Co-designer "The Boab Tinker" large scale spectacle street theatre puppetry performance excerpt from "A Garden of Aussie Delights" Northbridge Festival.
2009 Director/performer street spectacle theatre "The Sheep Rustlers" excerpt from A Garden of Aussie Delights - Kings Park Spring Festival and Wagin Woolarama Festival
2007/8 Co-Director/Project Manager/Puppet Designer "A Garden of Aussie Delights" large scale spectacle puppetry street theatre performance commissioned by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre for the 2008 UNIMA International Puppetry Festival.
2001– 6 Core artist, Performance Director, Scriptwriter, performance workshop facilitator, puppetry director, film co-devisor/editor, sound design artist The Messenger Project various projects and performances incl. Futcha Krew, BackFlip, Lifeline (film) AnimOcean and Leeuwin II Tall Ship Sail Training Youth Leadership scoping project.
1998 - 2000 Artist, performer, puppet designer Maylands Fire and Earth Festivals, Utopia & Rhapsody, produced by SWERVE artist Gabbi Mazalewskis.
2000 - 2009 Board Member
2007 - 2009 Vice Chair
Artists Residencies
2012 WA Museum Under The Sea Recycled Reef children's and community engagement installation project.
2009 Artistc Director & Puppetry artist for The Magic Garden large scale cross-cultural Puppetry Project for The Alice Desert Festival
2009 Artist in residence Singapore Act III International, Prudential Children’s First for the “Puppet-razzi” project.
2008 FantiSea Stage 2 Million Puppets Project residency, facilitating training in spectacle puppetry street theatre
2007 Director of Puppetry, facilitator in puppetry skills & Directing mentor for the Fantisea Large Scale Puppetry community production Esperance Festival of the Winds. Puppet design Bryan Woltgen, set design Cecile Williams.
2006 Puppetry tutor/puppet construction for adaptation of Arahndati Roy's The God of Small Things designed by Bryan Woltjen for John Curtin College of the Arts.
Consultancy
2016/17 Country Arts WA consultant to facilitate a consultation in Kalgoorlie with indigenous community.
2015 City of Mandurah consultation and facilitation of tailored workshop in community, indigenous engagement practises and arts process for senior project officers and managers with City of Mandurah.
2011 Warmun Temporary Evacuation Stage 2 Village (WA) through Save The Children in association with Gidja Total Health CACD consultant – mentoring, community support, youth engagement activities and art projects as part of post disaster community recovery
2011 Ghostnets Australia and Nhullunbuy Dhimirru Yolonju Rangers. Preliminary consultation for a cultural performance project with Ghostnets Australia and Yolngu artists and communities, east Arnhem Land.
2002 Research and Performance development consultant for the Walyalup Dreaming Project Nyoongar Puppetry and Story Project.Stage 1. Stage 2 performed by Nyoongar young people at the Wardarnji Festival Fremantle.
2002 DADAAWA Consultant for the Northern Exposure Project in three Martu communities of the Pilbara designing and delivering arts based and performance projects including film making with Martu Elders and young people to develop participatory community resources around petrol sniffing, diabetes and disability management.
2001 Chaulkley Consultants (Canberra) for Menzies School of Health Charles Darwin University (NT) consulting youth at the AMSANT Indigenous Youth conference Tennant Creek on a “Hub” model of youth service delivery focussed towards to young indigenous people at risk and youth suicide prevention strategies.Contributing to Playback Theatre Workshops facilitated by Rob Hoad and Music Workshops with young people facilitated by Shelley Morris, as elements of the consultancy process.
Guest Presenter/panel member
2020/21/22 Murdoch University Art 101 Community Development course presenting applied lecture/workshop on "Art & Engaging with Communities – Immersive Practise"
2017 CAN WA and Creative Recovery Network Guest Panel Presenter on Self Care for Artists working in complex trauma settings
2016 Regional Arts Australia Webinar Panel presenter "Access and opportunity – arts and culture for regional Australians"
2015 Forum Co-Facilitator and Assistant to Dr Craig San Roq for the Creative Recovery Network and
Footscray Community arts forum on Artists and Self Care “Working in complex trauma settings”.
2010 Peer Panelist "The Generation Project" Barking Gecko Theatre Company
2009 Peer Panel Assessor ARTSWA, Department of Culture and The Arts
2002 Guest/artist tutor in Clown at Notre Dame University Theatre Course.
2002 Guest artist/tutor in physical theatre and clown, School of Contemporary Arts, Edith Cowan University
2001 Guest artist/tutor Clown for Curtin University Theatre Course.
1994 Guest presenter Working with Aboriginal People Unit, Edith Cowan University
Creative Recovery Network
2016 – 18 Advisor to Creative Recovery Network
2014 – 16 founding Board Member of the National Creative Recovery Network supporting artists and communities recovering from the impacts of natural and human disasters
Other Relevant Professional Experience
2021 Professional Supervisor for Murdoch Community Development Placement students
1990 - 93 Excisions Officer/Research Assistant for the Central Land Council, Alice Springs NT. Negotiating on behalf of Traditional owners and custodians for legal title to community living areas on pastoral properties as recompense for their forced expulsion off their traditional lands resulting from the introduction of legislation following the 1968 Conciliation and Arbitration Ruling on Equal Wages for Aboriginal People in the pastoral industry.
1989 - 90 Research Assistant to Dr Phillip Ullah, University of Western Australia Department of Psychology, collecting quantitative and qualitative data for preliminary analysis and presentation. Co-author and presenter for preliminary research findings presented at UWA Psychology Conference "Research Trends in the 1990s" & the Sixth National Developmental Conference 1990.
Personal Awards
1988 Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority Prize (Honours)
1987 Anthropological Society Prize in Arts presented by the Anthropology Society of Western Australia
Useful Web Links
Mandaboornap Eagle Dreaming - Esperance Festival of the winds
https://www.facebook.com/ABCGoldfieldsEsperance/videos/10154245354226712/
Mandjar Dreaming Stretch Festival 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM-avzIi5Qo
West Coast Eagles and Guildford Grammar Eagle Puppet 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF4zBizT0nY
Guildford Grammar Dookoorniny Cultural Project Documentary