Pixie Town Workshop 1- Mechanical Puppetry Workshop

Come, make and help be part of our own Pixie Town for this first of a series of event.

A celebration of the life and work of Frederic Nelson Jones, of Coney Park, Pixie Town and Photography.

"Jones was an inventive man. He created a cuckoo clock made with a fretwork saw constructed from his grandmother's sewing machine and a three-legged ladder used to elevate himself above crowds when photographing. This new project was the creation of Magic Caves and Pixietowns. Inspired by the "long-nosed little men and women from a book he had as a child,... Jones cut wooden pixies with a fretsaw and placed them in elaborate sets.
Rods, pulleys and motors were carefully hidden from view and controlled the pixies' movements. The pixies could be made to dance in tune with the music, to play the piano or to swing fire hoses around erratically." (The Prow)

Community Art Works (CAW) sits on or near the site of the original Coney Park, an Amusement Park with a miniature train and merry-go-rounds created by Jones and his wife which opened in 1921. CAW, therefore, provides the ideal focus point for a project that celebrates the life and works of F.N Jones. (The Prow).

This first workshop will introduce the simple mechanics in automata puppets and music boxes and focus on making character inspired by our current city "a la Pixie Town".

Creations will be added to the ""Pixie Town"" installation that will be displayed in the main window at CAW."

Please note we have two workshops on the day :
10 am - 12pm and 1pm - 3 pm
Please select accordingly as places are limited
*Booking Required* https://www.communityartworks.nz/