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About Katherine

Baltimore City
I am a storyteller, papercut artist, and puppeteer. I mainly make crankies, a form of visual art performance that involves a box containing a scroll of artwork. The scroll is attached to rods with cranks at the top. As the cranks are turned the scroll moves across the front of the box, where the viewer can see the artwork. 

I'm a formally trained artist with a degree in sculpture from MICA, however over ten years ago I started my foray into puppetry after seeing some shadow puppet shows and began to encourage my friends to make shadow puppet shows at parties. After I started… more

The Raven

Projected shadow puppet crankie based on Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven, commissioned by The Peabody School of Music.  Paper and Tyvek scroll. Poster board and foam core puppets and overhead projections.

This shadow puppet show is a combination of various shadow puppetry techniques, incorporating a pop-up book, lazy susans, moving human figures, and overhead projectors. Everything was hand cut with a hobby knife.

This piece was originally performed with Tim Kearly, Valeska Populoh, Eamon Epsey, Channing Showalter, Lisa Kraus, Nick Sjostrom,  and Burke Sampson at The Peabody School of Music on Halloween night of 2016, accompanied by an original musical score and sound effects by Nick Sjostrom and Burke Sampson.
  • Respite—respite and nepenthe
    Respite—respite and nepenthe
    Projected papercut
  • The Raven
    The Raven
    As the lightning flashes we see the skeleton of the raven. “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee."
  • Nameless here for evermore
    Nameless here for evermore
    Pop-up book
  • Valeska and Lisa working puppets on the projectors
    Valeska and Lisa working puppets on the projectors
    Overhead projectors, behind the screen
  • The Raven
    The Raven
    In this scene he sees and apparition of Lenore and her heads transforms into a ravens head, and her fan opens to reveal the words, nevermore.
  • The Raven
    The Raven
    Our hero sits dreaming of the lost Lenore.

Yorktown Museum project

In 2015 I collaborated with Cortina productions, a film company that makes historical films for museums, approached me about making a giant shadow puppet crankie* for a film, I was pretty excited.
The film is about a traveling story teller, who uses a crankie to tell oral histories of the American revolution through 6 different people who lived through it. (among them, a housewife, a native american man, and an african american man). These are actual oral histories of people who lived at the time. It was an inspiring and educational experience working with producer, Brent Feito and a curator/historian, Katherine Gruber of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.
I got to spend months researching, story boarding, making sample scenes, and finally making the final piece. The images are based on artwork and aesthetics of the period. In order to make the deadline friend and colleague, Caleb Stine, worked full time hand cutting paper and glueing down scenes with me for over a month. Some other folks who lent a hand during construction were Annie Howe, Lisa Krause, Christine Sajecki, and Eamon Espey. We ended up with three scrolls, some of which are over eighty feet long. Everything was hand cut with a hobby knife.

It was especially moving to be working on this piece about these questions of freedom and human rights as the riots broke out in Baltimore this year. It felt all the more meaningful and powerful to be revisiting these questions in my work.
After the crankie was done, I finally arrived in Virginia, where they had been filming all the stories I had illustrated on the crankie in live action. Michael Lamason and Valeska Populoh of Baltimore's Black Cherry Puppet Theater came to Virginia where we performed the crankie in period dress for the film.
This has been an exciting and challenging project. The rough cut looks great and I can't wait to see the the final edit of the film. In the meantime there is an exhibit of the making of the film on display at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.
The film has been  available to the public since December 2016.

*A crankie or moving panorama is a scroll of artwork in a box, often illustrating a story or song that it is presented with. The ream of paper or fabric rolled around 2 posts, which is then pulled across the front, much like film in an old camera.
  • Sea Battle
    Sea Battle
    This scene is a depiction of a famous sea battle at Yorktown. I used different colors of paper to make some ships appear further away.
  • Handmade papercut
    Handmade papercut
    Everything in this piece and all my work in hand-cut. This papercut was influenced by Pennsylvania Dutch papercut artists of the time period. I worked closely with historian Kate Gruber on this project. Since this was made for a history museum it was very important to them that everything was historically accurate.
  • Yorktown foundation commission
    Yorktown foundation commission
    Giant shadow puppet crankie for a film for the revolutionary war museum in Yorktown. 4 feet x 6 feet Tyvek, paper, poster board.
  • Yorktown crankie
    Yorktown crankie
  • Caleb and I working
    Caleb and I working
    Here Caleb Stine and I are gluing down a scene of the Boston harbor. Caleb was a huge help on this huge project with tight deadlines.
  • Cutting paper
    Cutting paper
  • Boston
    Boston
    This scene depicts and fight that broke out in Boston. The figures all appear to be the same. This style is an imitation of artists of that time, like Paul Revere.
  • Storyboards and samples
    Storyboards and samples
    I had to work closely with historians and museum staff on this project. They wanted to make sure the piece was historically accurate. I had to submit sample scenes before I could get the go ahead to begin creating full size ones.
  • The house scene
    The house scene
    This complex scene was inspired by Pennsylvania Dutch Papercuts. This is the home of a woman whose oral history was included in the film. Here, after much research, many drawings, prototypes, and cutting Caleb Stine and I are finally gluing it down.

I Know Moonrise

This shadow puppet show takes us on a journey into the past and into the marshes of Georgia, telling the story of a boy who discovers a family secret, faces it, become transformed by it. This piece is a combination of various shadow puppetry techniques, incorporating mirrors and moving human figures, overhead projectors, and a crankie*. Everything was hand cut with a hobby knife.

This piece was originally performed with The Kearly family, Valeska Populoh, Caleb Stine, and Jay Dilisio at The Peabody School of Music on Halloween night of 2015, accompanied by an original musical score by Caleb Stine.

*A crankie or moving panorama is a scroll of artwork in a box, often illustrating a story or song that it is presented with. The ream of paper or fabric rolled around 2 posts, which is then pulled across the front, much like film in an old camera.
(Video forthcoming.)
  • Title page
    Title page
    Tyvek and tissue paper, hand cut with hobby knife
  • The music box
    The music box
    Behind the screen, Valeska Populoh puppeteering
  • Brook and Tim Kearley in silhouette
    Brook and Tim Kearley in silhouette
  • The little aunt
    The little aunt
    Girl gathering firewood. Tyvek, hand cut with hobby knife
  • Sabine Kearley singing in silhouette
    Sabine Kearley singing in silhouette
  • Mother came down to call me in for dinner
    Mother came down to call me in for dinner
    Tyvek and tissue paper, hand cut with hobby knife
  • The music box
    The music box
    Poster board, hand cut with hobby knife
  • Drowning
    Drowning
    Tyvek and tissue paper, hand cut with hobby knife
  • The Finale
    The Finale
    Tyvek, hand cut with hobby knife

"Fish" A Music Video, Installation, and live performance

I spent the first part of this year working on a shadow puppet show for a music video for Baltimore band, Wye Oak. I had a lot of fun creating the characters for this underwater world and the process of working with film was a new and exciting experience for me.

Video Credits:
Songwriters: Wye Oak (Jenn Wasner, Andy Stack)
Producers: Anne and Stewart Stack
Director of Photography: Michael Patrick O'Leary
Art Director/Paper cutter/puppeteer: Katherine Fahey
Editor: Owen Lang
Puppeteer: Scott Dennison
Puppeteer: Shari Edelson
Paper Cutters: Katie Field, Scott Dennison, Robin Reid, Brook Kearley, Annabel Kearley, Shari Edelson, Elodie Rabilloud
Gaffer: Matt Brennan
B Camera Operator: Nick Midwig
Camera Assistant: Neal Golden

Photos by Neal J Golden
  • Wye Oak video - Fish
    Wye Oak video - Fish
    A large paper fish backed with film grade colored gels.
  • End of the live show
    End of the live show
    On stage, with most of the performance crew, in front of the large shadow puppet screen at the Metro Gallery. Thaks to Michael O'leary, Jenn Wasner, Ashlie Kaufman, Owen Lang, Matt Muirhead, the entire Stack Family, and Katie Kuafarri.
  • Live show at the Metro Gallery
    Live show at the Metro Gallery
    Andy Stack, keeping in time with the performance.
  • Paper Fish installation
    Paper Fish installation
    Metro Gallery Installation Lighting for show and performance by Michael Patrick O'Leary and Serious Grip. All these tiny silver and blue fish were installed by Kyle Reinheart and Lisa Dietrich.
  • Paper fish installation
    Paper fish installation
    After we finished the video, I spent a week hanging an installation at the Metro Gallery of the puppets. I made a 32 foot wave piece for the the exhibit and additional puppets in order to put on a live performance of the shadow puppets show from the video. Lighting for show and performance by Michael Patrick O'Leary and Serious Grip.
  • Filming puppets on the diffusion screen
    Filming puppets on the diffusion screen
    The filming process was a great adventure. I was lucky to be surrounded by a supportive and knowledgable crew.
  • Puppeteering
    Puppeteering
    Scott Dennison, Shari Edelson, and I working a 3 man puppet during the filming of the video.
  • Wye Oak Music Video - Fish
    Director: Fahey/O'Leary/Stack DP: Michael Patrick O'Leary Art Director: Katherine Fahey Editor: Owen Lang Song: Wye Oak
  • Filming
    Filming
    Filming the video at Serious Grip and Electric.
  • Paper Ocean
    Paper Ocean
    Papercut, tyvek, 6x4 feet, January 2011. Katie Field and Scott Dennison both helped me cut some of these waves. It was the most labor intensive part of the project.

Shadow Puppet Crankie - Francis Whitmore's wife

Shadow puppet crankie*, based on a song about one colonial woman's struggle to survive a Vermont winter on her own in the mid-18th century.

This piece has been sung it a Capella mostly, but on occasion with a guitarist or fiddler.

Song written by Carole Moody Crompton
Video by Michael Patrick O'Leary
Paper cutting assistance by MICA intern, Raj Bannag

*A crankie or moving panorama is a scroll of artwork in a box, often illustrating a story or song that it is presented with. The ream of paper or fabric rolled around 2 posts, which is then pulled across the front, much like film in an old camera.

  • kathy-and-raj-snowflakes-whitmore-cranky.jpg
    kathy-and-raj-snowflakes-whitmore-cranky.jpg
    Gluing snowflakes with MICA intern, Raj Bunnag.
  • elizabeth-whitmore-crankie-linda-nelson-cd-release.jpg
    elizabeth-whitmore-crankie-linda-nelson-cd-release.jpg
  • elizabeth-whitmore-cranky-fears.jpg
    elizabeth-whitmore-cranky-fears.jpg
  • elizabeth-whitmore-cranky-the-emptiness-when-they-.jpg
    elizabeth-whitmore-cranky-the-emptiness-when-they-.jpg
  • elizabeth-whitmore-cranky-francis-will-come-home-t.jpg
    elizabeth-whitmore-cranky-francis-will-come-home-t.jpg
  • elizabeth-whitmore-cranky-bitter-winds-of-winter.jpg
    elizabeth-whitmore-cranky-bitter-winds-of-winter.jpg
  • Francis Whitmore's Wife
    This is a scrolling shadow puppet show or "crankie" based on a song by Carole Moody Crompton. The songwriter set the song to the tune of an old shape note song called Fiducia. It is the true story of one of the first families to settle in southern Vermont in the mid 17th century. Video Credits: Vocals: Katherine Fahey Songwriter: Carole Moody Crompton Director of Photography: Michael Patrick O'Leary Art Director/Paper cutter/puppeteer: Katherine Fahey Puppeteer: Cuffari Shinsato Puppeteer: Rebecca Siegmund Williams Paper Cutter: Raj Bunnag Sound: Nick Sjostrom Crank Box Construction: Neal Golden
  • dsc_3699.jpg
    dsc_3699.jpg
  • Elizabeth Whitmore crankie
    Elizabeth Whitmore crankie

    Scene for the lyrics, "When others come to settle here, their courage it might fail, but with god's strength I will help them to prevail."

  • dsc_7184-1.jpg
    dsc_7184-1.jpg

Talk to your Bees

Talk to your Bees is a shadow puppet crankie (see definition below). It's based on the Bee Boy Song by Peter Bellamy, about superstitions around bees and beekeeping.

*A crankie or moving panorama is a scroll of artwork in a box, often illustrating a story or song that it is presented with. The ream of paper or fabric rolled around 2 posts, which is then pulled across the front, much like film in an old camera.
 

  • Talk to your Bees crankie- hive
    Talk to your Bees crankie- hive

    Talk to your Bees crankie, about bygone superstitions around bees and beekeeping, based on The Bee Boy Song, by British song writer, Peter Bellamy.

  • Talk to your Bees crankie- apple blossoms and borage
    Talk to your Bees crankie- apple blossoms and borage

    Talk to your Bees crankie, about bygone superstitions around bees and beekeeping, based on The Bee Boy Song, by British song writer, Peter Bellamy.

  • Talk to your Bees crankie
    Talk to your Bees crankie

    Talk to your Bees crankie, about bygone superstitions around bees and beekeeping, based on The Bee Boy Song, by british song writer, Peter Bellamy.

  • Talk to your Bees crankie- echinacea and monarchs
    Talk to your Bees crankie- echinacea and monarchs

    Talk to your Bees crankie, about bygone superstitions around bees and beekeeping, based on The Bee Boy Song, by British song writer, Peter Bellamy.

  • Talk to your bees
    Talk to your bees

    Talk to your Bees crankie, about fantastical bygone superstitions around bees and beekeeping, based on The Bee Boy Song, by British song writer, Peter Bellamy. One would tell the bees anything important happening in your life; weddings, funerals, voyages, etc.

  • Talk to your Bees crankie- The End
    Talk to your Bees crankie- The End

    Talk to your Bees crankie, about bygone superstitions around bees and beekeeping, based on The Bee Boy Song, by British song writer, Peter Bellamy.

I Don't Feel Dead Yet

This Shadow Puppet Crankie* illustrates an old african american folk tale, ghost story adapted by Craig Dominey and Veronica Byrd. We follow a couple's humorous journey to letting go, Louisianna style. Jay Dilisio accompanies on fiddle. All papercuts and shadow puppets were hand cut with a hobby knife.

*A crankie or moving panorama is a scroll of artwork in a box, often illustrating a story or song that it is presented with. The ream of paper or fabric rolled around 2 posts, which is then pulled across the front, much like film in an old camera.

You can see a video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gew0PM10mqE

  • Cephus
    Cephus
  • She had been warned by the dream
    She had been warned by the dream
    "Her husband, who had been suffering with the consumption slipped away into the spirit word. Now she was sad to see him go, but she should have seen it coming, for she had been warned by the dream."
  • The Widow Jones in her home
    The Widow Jones in her home
    "The next day she buried her husband." This offbeat comic New Orleans ghost story/folk tale is full of great details and wonderful superstitions.
  • He moved closer to the fire to warm his cold hands and feet
    He moved closer to the fire to warm his cold hands and feet
  • Talking to a corpse
    Talking to a corpse
    This is a pivotal scene in this unlikely ghost story/folk tale. "Getting used to the idea that he's talking to a corpse, the fiddle got out his fiddle and started to play. "
  • Spider web
    Spider web
  • He danced faster
    He danced faster
  • Covering the mirrors
    Covering the mirrors
    "The next day the widow Jones covered all the mirrors in the house because everyone in town knew that if you didn't the image of the dead would remain in those mirrors."
  • The End
    The End
  • I Don't Feel Dead Yet video
    In this video Jay Dilisio plays fiddle and the puppeteers are Amy Sampson and Shana Roth Gormley. This video was filmed Allen Moore at the Peabody School of Music Library in Baltimore, Maryland Halloween night of 2014.

Where stars come from

In 1806 two sisters in England published a book of thier peotry fro children. One of them is a song sung all over the world to this day. This Shadow Puppet Crankie was a commision for Kentucky Educational Television Foundation based on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Video available here. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KZLDh4N9YY
  • Unicorn Constellation
    Unicorn Constellation
    This piece ends with shadow puppets of various animals of the zodiac jumping through a ring of lunar phases.
  • The Traveler
    The Traveler
    This little known verse of the song goes, the traveler in the dark thanks you for your tiny spark.
  • Diamonds
    Diamonds
    This well known verse goes, Up above the clouds so high, like a diamond in the sky. Even the smallest children know the words and often sing along. These diamonds are cut from origami paper.
  • "Where Stars Come from" Video
    Video Art and design: Katherine Fahey Puppeteers: Katherine Fahey and Paul RIchardson Director of photography: Michael Patrick O'Leary Editing: Digital Cave Media Music recorded by: Nick Sjostrom Music performed by: Katherine Fahey This film was made possible through a partnership with Kentucky Educational Television.