Mary Jane Oelke's portfolio

Work samples

Mixed media marionettes on set for THE FOREST CHILREN project

Mixed media marionettes, "Molly Moocher" and "Sally Sanghunter" on hand painted set for

THE FOREST CHILDREN project, a work in progress,

by M. J. Oelke.
NueNue original music project, MJ Oelke on flute and violin

Nue Nue is a musical work in progress (2023-2024) collaborative original music piece performed by progressive rock band, Alakazam.

This clip of the full work features Mary Jane Oelke on flute and violin.

The full work can be heard in Projects and features band members, Tony Del Giudice-guitars, Todd Bonner-vocals and bass, Mike Potter-sax, keyboard, melodica, vocoder, Herald Hammen-percussion

and Mary Jane Oelke-flute, violin.
Maryland Bred, oil on canvas, M. J. Oelke

MARYLAND BRED, oil on canvas, 24"h x 30"w, Mary Jane Oelke, 2008

Painted in Baltimore County, Maryland.
rehearsalvideoSpectresofWar

This is a rehearsal video of "Spectres of War", with papier mache' marionettes by M.J. Oelke' This video is accompanied by musicians from the group, Pulling Strings including original electric violin by M. J. Oelke

About Mary Jane

Mary Jane Oelke is a musician, puppet master, actress, artist, theatre artist and has performed and designed sets, props, masks and puppets for numerous theatres. Her puppetry performances have been seen at venues including The Walters Art Gallery, Towson University, Spotlighters Theatre, Fells Point Corner Theater, The Vagabond Theatre, and more. Oelke combines original music, scripts, set design, acting/voiceover, marionette performance and scene painting skills to create original… more

View Mary Jane's Resume

THE FOREST CHILDREN

THE FOREST CHILDREN

A brother and sister wander the forest, encountering wildlife and learning about eco-systems.

This marionette show project will be aiming to peak students curiosity about forest eco-systems and wildlife habitat, yet be entertaining to all ages. Although loosely based on the German and French fairy tales, "Hansel and Gretel" and "The Lost Children", using somewhat traditional characters, this project will include story development that will introduce wildlife safety and forest ecology issues in an entertaining marionette performance that is environmentally educational.

Each marionette takes 100 hours or more to construct. The set is designed to fit a portable marionette stage. Most of pre-production has been done on this show. I would like to finish this production, culminating in a live performance run and a video version shot as "shorts" to be released as a New Media Project under a SAG-AFTRA micro budget agreement.

Joe the Woodcutter, demo

This demo video shows Joe the Woodcutter, a mixed media marionette by M. J. Oelke, as he practices splitting a piece of firewood with his axe, all for his upcoming role in THE FOREST CHILDREN project.
Cranky Crow, mixed media marionette

Cranky Crow, is a mixed media marionette created for THE FOREST CHILDREN project.
Rageddy Raccoon

"Raggedy Raccoon", mixed media marionette by M.J.Oelke for "The Forest Children", marionette show project.
Mixed media marionettes for THE FOREST CHILDREN

mixed media marionettes by M.J.Oelke...from "The Forest Children"
Hungry Hound

mixed media marionette by M.J. oelke...."Hungry Hound" from THE FOREST CHILDREN
THE FOREST CHILDREN

Scene from "The Forest Children", theatrical work in progress with mixed media marionettes, set design and scene painting by puppet master, M.J.Oelke
"Ducky"

mixed media marionette from, THE FOREST CHILDREN, "Ducky" by M.J. Oelke
Molly Moocher and Sally Sanghunter

Mixed media marionettes by M.J.Oelke - characters from "The Forest Children" with set design and scene painting by Oelke.
Wild Turkey marionette demo

Demo of mixed media turkey marionette from, THE FOREST CHILDREN, by M.J.Oelke
Characters for THE FOREST CHILDREN

Scene from THE FOREST CHILDREN, with mixed media marionettes, set design and scene painting by M.J.Oelke

ORIGINAL MUSIC projects with MJ Oelke on flute violin and vocals

ORIGINAL MUSIC PROJECTS: My passion for marionette theater pushed me to study instrumental and live music performance and I hope to incorporate and collaborate further with musicians and others to create works involving original puppet and marionette theatre with original music.

I studied violin with Adrian Semo (then associate concertmaster for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra) and Raffaele Faraco, (Concertmaster for the GSO and music director for the Baltimore Philharmonia Orchestra) and others, including, "Rock", "Celtic Rock", "Jazz", "Experimental" and "Old Tyme" players. I started playing flute as a 13 year old and was taught vocal singing by the Sisters of Notre Dam de Namur of Ilchester, MD (Ellicott City). Eventually I played with several local Baltimore bands, performing electric violin, flute and vocals.

"Nue Nue" is a work in progress, collaborative, original, composition by the Maryland progressive rock band, Alakazam, a Baltimore based group of musicians established in 2003. (alakazam1.bandcamp.com) This piece is introduced by a voice quoting Asimov's, "Three Law's For Robotics". Along with Mary Jane Oelke, playing violin and flute on this piece are, Tony DelGuidice (acoustic and electric guitar and vocals), Todd Bonner (vocals and electric bass) Herald Hammen (percussion) and Mike Potter (saxophone, keyboard, melodica, voice, vocoder and sound design). Mary Jane Oelke joined the group in 2023 after being a guest artist/violinist on Alakazam's latest album Carnival Dawn. (alakazam1.bandcamp/track/something-wicked)

"Kreep" is an original song written by Mary Jane Oelke performed locally with the band, "PULLING STRINGS" With flute, violin and vocals by Mary Jane Oelke, with Rick Serra - guitar, Dave Thomasi - bass, Brian Jacques - lead guitar, Tom Miller- drums.

Other original collaborative songs in which Oelke played violin are "MahaRikaba" (with Rick Serra on guitar) and "To the Folks at Home", another "PULLING STRINGS" collaboration.

NueNue original music

"Nue Nue" is a work in progress song by the Maryland progressive rock band, Alakazam, (alakazam1.bandcamp.com) a Baltimore based group of musicians established in 2003. Along with Mary Jane Oelke, newest member, who is playing violin and flute on this piece are, Tony DelGuidice (acoustic and electric guitar and vocals), Todd Banner (vocals and electric bass) Herald Hammen (percussion) and Mike Potter (saxophone, keyboard, melodica, voice, vocoder, and sound design). Mary Jane Oelke joined the group in 2023 after being a guest artist/violinist on Alakazam's latest album Carnival Dawn (alakazam1.bandcamp/track/something-wicked)
Kreep

"Kreep" is an original song written by Mary Jane Oelke performed locally with the band, "PULLING STRINGS" With flute, violin and vocals by Mary Jane J. Oelke
and with Rick Serra - guitar, Dave Thomasi -bass, Brian Jacques - lead guitar, Tom Miller- drums)
MahaRikaba

A collaborative "progressive" musical work with Mary Jane Oelke on violin and Rick Serra on guitar.
To the Folks at Home

A collaborative original piece by the band, "Pulling Strings", with Mary Jane Oelke on violin, Rick Serra on guitar, Brian Jacques on guitar, Dave Tomasi on bass and Tom Miller on drums.
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Original violin music

Paintings by MJ Oelke

Paintings by MJ Oelke
MEDIUMS: watercolor, oil, acrylic

My first forays into the art world was, like many others, using crayons and watercolor paint. When I discovered puppetry, the skills of painting and especially landscape painting, aided in enhancing my marionette shows with scene painting skills. Painting stuck with me as a lifetime endeavor. I especially like painting watercolor landscapes, and landscapes in general.

The Neighbors Farm, oil on canvas, M. J. Oelke

THE NEIGHBOR'S FARM oil on canvas, 12"x16"

artist: Mary Jane Oelke, c 2012

This painting came about when I was working on a movies set as a background actor portraying an Amish woman and became enchanted by the remote Maryland farm location being used as the setting. While I was in holding, I made sketches of the farm and finished this painting later.
PIMLICO watercolor on paper M.J. Oelke c 2023

PIMLICO, Watercolor on paper, Mary Jane Oelke, 2023

Maryland is "horse country". I could not resist trying my hand at a watercolor painting depicting the annual famous Maryland race, "The Preakness". which has been traditionally held at Pimlico race track in Baltimore, Maryland for over a century.
The Blue Trail

The Blue Trail, oil on canvas, 16"x24"

Artist, Mary Jane Oelke, c 2012
Barn Cat plein air watercolor by MJ OELKE.jpg

Barn Cat original watercolor by MJ Oelke
Portrait of a Holsteiner, event horse

PORTRAIT OF A HOLSTEINER EVENT HORSE original equine portrait, watercolor on paper

MJ Oelke,
Jerusalem Mill, watercolor

Jerusalem Mill original watercolor by M.J.Oelke

This painting was meant to portray historic, Jerusalem Mill, located along the Little Gunpowder River in Harford County, Maryland, as it may have appeared in days past when it operated as grain mill. Today it houses the headquarters of the Gunpowder State Park.
JUDES FERRY, original plein air watercolor on archival paper. (2017)

This is an original plein air watercolor landscape (on paper) by M. J. Oelke, painted while on set during a TV shoot location, while Oelke was working as a (SAG-AFTRA) featured extra at "Jude's Ferry", a remote farm in Southwest Virginia. located along the James River.
OCEAN DOWNS, WATCHING WARMUPS an original watercolor on paper

OCEAN DOWNS, WATCHING WARMUPS, watercolor on paper, 20x16

M J Oelke, 2002
CUNNINGHILL COVE, plein air watercolor

CUNNINGHILL COVE,

plein air watercolor on archival paper,

This work was painted on location at the Hammerman area of the Gunpowder State Park in Baltimore County, Maryland. It is currently on display at the Chesapeake Maritime Museum as part of the "Changing Chesapeake" Exhibit, through Feb.26, 2024.

MJ Oelke, artist
JERICHO ROAD COVERED BRIDGE, watercolor on archival paper

JERICHO ROAD COVERED BRIDGE, a plein air watercolor of the historic Jericho Road Covered Bridge located in Kingsville, Maryland, painted by Mary Jane Oelke.

Spectres of War

This is a music video in development. with papier mache' marionettes by M. J. Oelke

with original music by Pulling Strings. musicians, Rick Serra- guitar, Brian Jacques-lead guitar, Dave Tomasi- bass guitar, Mary Jane Oelke-violin and

Tom Miller- percussion.

Spectres of War

"Spectres of War" with papier mache' marionettes by M. J. Oelke

music by Pulling Strings
Spectres of War

Detail of the mother's head, "Spectres of War", papier mache' marionette by M.J.Oelke
Spectres of War

SPECTRES OF WAR..detail of papier mache' marionette - showing head of baby by M.J.Oelke
rehearsal video Spectres of War

rehearsal video of Spectres of War papier mache' marionettes by M.J. Oelke. Video is accompanied by musicians from the group, Pulling Strings (with original music by Rick Serra playing Guitar and M. J. Oelke on electric violin)
Spectres of War

papier mache' marionette by M.J.Oelke for, SPECTRES OF WAR, music video.
Spectres of War

detail of papier mache' marionette from, SPECTRES OF WAR, c M.J.Oelke 2018

HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS

A centuries old tradition is for puppeteers to mock the aristocracy and elite through veiled innuendo and thinly disguised social and political satire and allegory using puppets (and often slapstick humor.....think "Punch and Judy").

HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS will be episodic shorts using marionettes portraying actual past events, produced to be performed live and on video

The First part of this project will be to spoof the debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during which they actually called each other puppets. The title of this short will be "Puppets of Puppets that Called Each Other Puppets". Then I am adding Bernie Sanders and his pal, "Burdie" and a few other characters including "Joe the Woodcutter" and some of his friends, Melania and Putin marionettes have been finished for this project and also Elizabeth Warren.

I attended some SAG-AFTRA workshops with the goal of producing a signatory video short of this project under a SAG-AFTRA short projects agreement. I also attended a workshop on production with Marc and Maria Unger, local actor/producers of , THESPIANS, a wonderfull independent series, also a SAG-AFTRA signatory project which is shot locally in and around Baltimore. I am currently working on sets, finalizing a budget and etc, etc, etc...

Burdie Scene demo

This is a taped preliminary rehearsal of the BURDIE SCENE, for the project:

HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS
Melania marionette for HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS

"Melania" mixed media marionette created for HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS awaits costuming.

Artist, M. J. Oelke
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"sHillary" and "Trumpster" , mixed media marionettes by M. J. Oelke c 2016
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Mixed media Marionette, "Trumpster", By M.J.Oelke. This marionette has a flexing jaw for voice-over performance.
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"Trumpster", mixed media marionette
Burnie Sanders marionette for HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS

This is a mixed media marionette, "Senator Burnie Sanders",

created for HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS

artist, Mary Jane Oelke
Burdie, marionette

"Burdie", mixed media marionette by M.J.Oelke. This puppet accompanies "Senator Sanders" during the second vignette, "Bernie and the Bird" (from HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS)
DONKEY

DONKEY, mixed media marionette, by M.J.Oelke

portrays the Democratic Party in an episode of HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS
BUBBLES the ELEPHANT

BUBBLES THE ELEPHANT, mixed media marionette by M J Oelke

"Bubbles" portrays the Republican Party in an episode of

HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS
ELIZABETH WARREN, marionette

Elizabeth Warren caricature, mixed media marionnette by, M.J. Oelke, for "HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL REENACTMENTS" . This puppet can lift her eyeglasses.

THE STRINGLING MARIONETTES

THE STRINGLING MARIONETTES, was founded by Mary Jane Oelke as a touring puppet troupe of hand crafted marionettes, with original scripts, sets and music, that features live character acting and live music.

Mary Jane Oelke with Stringling Marionettes about to perform at a local festival

Mary Jane Oelke with Stringling Marionettes about to perform at a local Baltimore festival.
The Silly Circus clip

This is a short excerpt from "The Silly Circus" with our Stringling Marionette Company set squeezed into a Baltimore Row home full of kids to perform live with master musician, Jay Walton, providing live trombone accompaniment.
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portable marionette show stage by M.J.Oelke for THE STRINGLING MARIONETTES
Back drop painted by M. J. Oelke for "The Silly Circus", a live marionette theater performance by STRINGLING MARIONETTES

Hand painted backdrop by M. J. Oelke for, THE SILLY CIRCUS, an original marionette play set, "In a town far away, in a land long ago....", performed by STRINGLING MARIONETTE COMPANY.
MatildatheHon

"Matilda the Hon" warms up the audience before a marionette show . Mixed media puppet with live voice by M.J.Oelke

The Art of Beekeeping

During the "pandemic" (2020-2022) I found myself with a lot less performance opportunities and started a small apiary project at my home (under lockdown). I studied beekeeping and took classes locally and online (Penn State University). I was intrigued with both the ancient, traditional and modern practices of beekeeping, which some consider an art. As do I! There is definitely a distinction between large commercial and "artisinal" small scale beekeeping. I have been especially influenced by the online teachings of Dr. Leo Sharashkin, who promotes natural, organic beekeeping and founded horizontalhives.com. One method he advocates is to keep beehives at least 10 (or more) feet apart to help prevent "drift", where returning bees that have been out foraging return to a different nearby hive. It has been shown by several studies that drift plays a role in spreading bee parasites and viruses. Since many apiaries paint their hives all the same and keep them very close together which could promote disease and parasite infestations to spread from one hive to another, a better choice where possible is to keep hives at a greater distance apart and to paint the hives to appear unique! When hives are close together and are all painted the same way, drift occurs, thus diseases and parasites spread more easily. Dr. Sharashkin suggests uniquely decorating each hive so that bees from one hive will not migrate to a nearby hive, thus preventing "drift" (bees going into a hive not their own original hive) The unique colors and art applied to each hive helps the foraging bees to accurately identify their correct home. Voila! I have started decorating and painting my hives, I have only painted a few so far but it is an endeavor I will continue! I find that my other art studies, especially scene painting and set design, is foundational to this endeavor, because practicing patience, perseverance and study as an acquired habit helped me to begin to master the necessary skills in the art of beekeeping.

Decorated beehive

uniquely painted beehive 2020

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Inter- and Multi-Disciplinary Work