Carl Bridge

I strive to create moving experiences that connect us to each other, as well as a sense of mystery as a percussionist, performer, visual artist, and art teacher. Frequent family trips to museums and galleries oriented a very young me towards the power of art, but it wasn’t until High School that I experienced the potential within Theater when my brother and I had the opportunity to create (and operate) an Audrey II puppet for our school’s production of Little Shop of Horrors. The challenge of building a life-size puppet was only the first level of artistry. The second, and more satisfying, was bringing this sculpture to life through performance. Transforming a pile of foam, fabric and paint into a live, menacing alien bent on eating a humble florist and his girlfriend was an especially gratifying experience. I had the art bug.

Building on that early exposure to theater’s potential, and the strong emphasis on creative pursuits in my family, I continued to participate in my High School’s theater program, and then went on to study Scene Design at Boston University. Later the FX work I did in Los Angeles for Anatomorphex, Crisis FX and Masters FX would be informed by my undergraduate experimentations creating setting/time/place/mood through scenic designs and costumes which resulted in a high-energy and emotional takeaway for audiences. Working alongside so many talented craftspeople in LA helped arm me with a highly diverse skill set. I found that there were many props builders, puppeteers and other craftspeople who were highly proficient in one, single skillset, and others (like myself) who thrived by being able to problem solve and adapt to new challenges. Now, as a teacher, I hope to cultivate that competence within my students.