Shadow Puppet Workshop

Join us for a hands-on shadow puppet workshop for all ages taught by Bay Area artists Lydia Greer and Ya Wen of Facing West Shadows art collective. Inspired by the art installation “The Endless End,” which will be performed the night before on Saturday November 8th, students will explore the hidden lives of native Bay Area birds, insects, and animals through shadow play. Using paper, pencils, gels, duralar, watercolor and wire, students will create their own shadow puppets.

The first hour will be spent creating your puppet. Then we’ll take a short break, and spend the last hour playing in light using the newly designed puppets! At the end of the workshop each participant will take home a finished puppet to continue shadow play at home!

When: November 9th, 2025 from 11am to 1pm

Age: 7+

* Must be 12 and up to use x-acto blades for cutting, all others can use scissors or have teacher assistance.

Skill Level: Beginner

Price: $25 + tax

Materials: All materials included!

Location: Cura Contemporary in the Edes Building | 17395 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill CA, 95037

About the Artist:

Lydia Greer is a widely exhibiting interdisciplinary visual artist, filmmaker, animator, and the artistic director of Facing West Shadows, a Lumia arts collective working with shadow casting/ hybridizing art forms to create magical acts of rebellion as experimental art in the gold rush climate of the San Francisco Bay Area. Expanding into film/animation, theater/opera, puppetry, and sculptural installation, Facing West Shadows creates surprising experiences for the audience by seamlessly combining old and new technologies and art forms.

Her work includes sculptural and video installation, hand-made stop motion animation, media sculpture, hand-made experimental animation with puppets, projected shadow and light on paper sculpture, two-dimensional drawings and paper cuts, and built immersive environments.

Host or Publisher Cura Contemporary Gallery