Brian Kooser
706 East Tacoma Avenue
Ellensburg, Washington 98926
(206) 769-1276
briankooser@gmail.com
Education
2015 MFA Sculpture
Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington
2012 BA Art, Theatre Minor
Central Washington University
Teaching Experience
2018 Grays Harbor College, Raymond Campus, Raymond Washington
Art100, Art Appreciation
Fremont Arts Council-Visiting Artist
Organized and taught volunteers the skills to create 5 “tanks” for an ensemble featuring a faux “Military Parade for the Supreme Leader”
2017 Oregon Country Fair- Projects Instructor
Worked art booth and instructed fairgoers in making available or invented projects.
Frequently involved creative solutions to clients’ desires.
Fremont Arts Council-Visiting Artist
Taught building workshops for creating flying puppets for Parade Spectacle
2012-2018 Ellensburg Downtown Association- Buskers in the Burg Arts Parade Director
Taught Design, Building and Performance techniques to volunteers culminating in an Event Spectacle Performance
2016 Central Washington University- Visiting Artist
Taught labs for building a giant puppet for Theatre. Rehearsed with performers to create the illusion of realistic movement and choreograph a giant puppet fight scene.
Fremont Arts Council- Artist in Residence
A six-week position and workshop to build and perform an ensemble for the Fremont Solstice Parade
Ellensburg Downtown Association- Spectacle/Giant Puppet making Workshop
Month long workshop for developing, designing, building and performing giant puppets for spectacle productions
Icicle Creek Center for the Arts- American Tabletop Puppetry
Taught design, building, performance and production techniques for developing adult contemporary puppet work
2012-2015 Central Washington University, Ellensburg Washington
Instructor of Record/ Graduate Assistant
2 Dimensional Design
3 Dimensional Design
Drawing 1
2013 Gallery One- Ellensburg, Washington
One Day Workshop- Giant Puppet Design and Build
Two Day Intensive Workshop– Sculpture in Papier Mache
2012 Gallery One- Ellensburg, Washington
Two Day Intensive Workshop- Parade Spectacle Design and Build
Gallery One- Ellensburg, Washington
Papier and Pints- Workshop on Papier Mache as a Fine Arts Form
2008-2010 Seattle University, Seattle, Washington
Artist in Residence/ Faculty of Record – Advanced Puppetry
Awarded residency on merit of local theatre productions. Created a 5-credit course in advanced puppetry. The course included developing concept, storyboarding, design, fabrication and performance. The class culminated in a Cabaret Performance with local professional talent in the Lee Center for the Arts.
2001-2011 Fremont Arts Council Workshop Leader- Summer Solstice Parade
6 week build every summer, including specific detailed workshops on skill building. Lightweight construction techniques for sculptural elements, giant puppets, floats, ensembles and costumes were included.
Fine Arts Exhibitions
2015 Kittitas County Juried Exhibition, Gallery One, Ellensburg, Washington, recipient of the Marnie Williams Award
Breaking the Line/MFA Thesis Exhibition, Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington
Destabilizing Dystopia, ADGSA, dc3 Art Projects, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
XX XY Exhibit, Mini Solo Exhibition, Confluence Gallery, Methow Arts, Twisp, Washington
Two by Two: Small-Scale Ceramic Sculpture Biennial, Gallery of Art, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, Washington
2014 CWU Faculty Exhibition, Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, Ellensburg, Washington
Kittitas County Juried Exhibition, Gallery One, Ellensburg, Washington
May Cause Dizziness, Mid-Thesis Exhibition, Gallery 231, Ellensburg, Washington
2013 Intersections, Moses Lake Museum of Art, Moses Lake, Washington
Kittitas County Juried Exhibition, Gallery One, Ellensburg Washington
IOOF Memorial Garden Design and Scatter Garden Plinth, Public Art, IOOF Cemetery, Ellensburg Washington
SAC Juried Art Show, Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, Ellensburg Washington
CWU Faculty Art Show, Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, Ellensburg, Washington
2012 Gallery One Members Exhibition, Ellensburg, Washington
Upcycled Art Show, Alley Cat Gallery, Ellensburg, Washington
CWU Alumni Art Exhibition, Alley Cat Gallery, Ellensburg, Washington
Yakima River Canyon Walkway, OPR Public Arts Project, Ellensburg, Washington
We Don’t Need No Water, Installation, Darigold Building, Ellensburg, Washington
Professional Experience
2002-Present Brian Kooser Productions, Seattle, WA
Director, Writer, Creator
Creating Installations and works of contemporary puppetry. Re-visualizing the purposes of the created object as protagonist.
2004-2011 Florabunga, Seattle Washington
Earthworks and Hard-scape designer
Designed, organized and constructed earthworks and hardscapes for Seattle homes.
1993-2005 Thistle Theatre, Seattle, WA
Performer/ Designer/ Builder
Mastered and improved in-house puppet making process and pioneered new concepts in construction, design, movement and manipulation
Performances
2018 Teaching Bears to Dance, Spectacle Performance, Gallery One, Designer, Builder, Director, Performer
Deep Sea Mermadon, Spectacle Performance, Buskers in the Burg Arts Parade, Designer, Builder, Director, Performer
Military Parade for Our Supreme Leader, Spectacle Performance, Fremont Solstice Parade, Designer, Building Lead, Workshop Director, Performer
2017 Orange Bear, Performance, Buskers in the Burg-Parade, Event, Invitational After Event
Putti on Parade, Original spectacle performance. Float and flying puppets. Fremont Solstice Parade
That Time I Found a Baby Bird, Cabaret Performance, Skid Row Puppet Show, Collaborator, Director, Performer, Seattle Washington
2016 White Rhino, Performance, Buskers in the Burg Arts Parade
Comes The Dark, Art Ensemble for the Fremont Arts Council Summer Solstice Parade
2015 Heart Play, Cabaret performance in Portland Oregon at the Beady Little Eyes Puppet Slam and in Seattle at Skid Row Puppet Show. A performance was recorded and subtitled for Breaking the Line Exhibition. Designer, Builder, Performer.
2014 The Lonely Goatherd, Cabaret Performance, Skid Row Puppet Show, Derived work, Director, Designer, Builder, Seattle Washington
2011-2015 Buskers in the Burg Arts Parade, Parade Spectacle, Ellensburg, Washington
2012 Pearl and the Five Headed Dragon Children’s Theatre Production, Artistic Director,
Ellensburg Washington
2011 Nuclear Summer, Tacoma Free for All, Concept, Designer, Builder, Performer, Tacoma, Washington
Nuclear Summer, Seattle Zombie Walk, Seattle, Washington
Nuclear Summer, Fremont Solstice Parade, Seattle, Washington
2009 Bloody Henry, Theatre Production, Lee Center for the Arts, Playwright, Designer, Builder, Director, Seattle, Washington
2008 UFO the Puppet Show, Theatre Production, Theatre Off Jackson, Playwright, Designer, Builder, Director, Seattle Washington
2007 Dracula: A Case Study, Theatre Production, Theatre Off Jackson, Playwright, Designer, Builder, Director, Seattle Washington
2002, 2003, 2010 Frankenocchio, Theatre Production, Disjecta, Lee Center for the Arts, Empty Space Theater, Nippon Kan Theatre. Storyboard, Designer, Builder, Performer
Seattle Washington and Portland Oregon
1993-2005 All Thistle Theatre Productions, Performer, Designer, Builder
Washington, Oregon, California, Montana
Clients/Commissions
Katelyn Schiller-Quantum Entanglement- Designed and built cat puppet for LA Production
Haruko Nishimura– Degenerate Art Ensemble-Little Red Riding Hood-Designed and built custom form fitting wolf mask to be worn by Haruko as she transformed from Little Red to Little Black Riding Hood. Designed Cormorant Puppet for a production celebrating the Anniversary of Seattle Center
Seattle Opera– The Ring-School Outreach Program-Designed and constructed Dragon and Squirrel puppets for an elementary school outreach program.
Dave Pilkey– Captain Underpants “Super Silly Streak” – Designed and built Giant Robots and Giant Babies for the Video.
Batatoon– Oporto, Portugal-Designed and built puppets and facilitated training of performers for a children’s television show
Artist Lectures
2013 Gallery One Art Talk: Buskers in the Burg Arts Parade
Lecture and power point were given detailing the community effort to create the “Buskers in the Burg” opening event.
2013 Randall Hall 117: 20 by 20
Graduate lecture including 20 slides in 20 minutes detailing my career.
2013 Source: How to Build a Parade-
A presentation on producing a spectacle event from the initial idea through clean-up.
2012 Gallery One Art Talk: Celebration Art- Parades and Festivals
Lecture and slide show on Parades, Street Performance and Festival Performance.
2008 Artist Trust Fundraising Dinner
Art Talk on producing live contemporary puppet theatre.
Awards/Grants
2017 Artist in Residence: Fremont Arts Council
Artisan of the Year: Ellensburg Downtown Association
2016 Artist in Residence: Fremont Arts Council, Seattle Washington
2015 Marnie Williams Award: Kittitas County Juried Art Exhibition
Central Washington University College of Arts and Humanities Outstanding Graduate Student Artistic Achievement Award
2014 Behnke Graduate Art Fellowship Grant
CH and ET Moe Graduate Art Scholarship
2013 Ellensburg Arts Commission Money for Arts
Punch Gallery Award SAC Juried Show
2012 Birkin Owarts Arts and Humanities Grant
Ellensburg Arts Commission Money for Arts
KC/ACTF scenic design– Marc Haniuk (assistant designer-Brian Kooser)
2010-2008 Seattle University Artist in Residence
2009/2007 City of Seattle Mayors Office– Individual Artists Grant
2009/2006 Artist Trust GAP Grant
2008/2007 4 Culture Individual Artists Project
2005 Jim Henson Foundation Grant
2002 Paul Allen Grant
City of Seattle Group Artist Grant
King County Arts Group Artist Grant
Organizations/Service
University Art Collection/Selection Committee- Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington
Ellensburg Downtown Association- Director of Arts Parade for “Buskers in the Burg”
Puppeteers of Puget Sound- Branch of Puppeteers of America- President-2011, Organizer and Workshop Director for Regional Festival of the Puppeteers of America- Puppet-O-Rama 2010
Fremont Arts Council- Board Member 2003-2005, member since 1993, Known best for Fremont Solstice Parade
Monkey Wrench Puppet Lab- Founding Member- Participated in Drunk Puppet Night, Created and produced Frankenocchio, Dracula: A Case Study and UFO the Puppet Show
Selected Bibliography (Reviews/Articles/Catalogues)
2016 “Puppets Come Alive” Wenatchee World, February 23, 2016, Wenatchee, Washington
2015 “Serendipity in the Streets” Daily Record, September 28, 2015, Ellensburg, Washington
2015 “Giant Puppets to Invade Ellensburg” Daily Record, August 25, 2015, Ellensburg, Washington
2015 “Thesis exhibition at CWU features the work of three students” Daily Record, March 26, 2015, Ellensburg Washington
2015 “Artists rally to support Confluence exhibit” Methow Valley News, March 25, 2015, Twisp, Washington
“‘XX XY’ explores gender, biology and culture in Confluence exhibit” Methow Valley News, March 4, 2015, Twisp, Washington
2014 “Buskers in the Burg festival expecting a diverse cast, including giant puppets” Daily Record, September 22nd, Ellensburg, Washington
“MFA student’s sculpture show opens” Daily Record, February 18th, Ellensburg, WA
2013 “Street performers crowd downtown Ellensburg during annual Buskers in the Burg” The Observer, October 1st, Ellensburg, Washington
2012 “Buskers Take Over Town” Daily Record, October 1st Ellensburg, Washington
“A Festival of Music and Art” Daily Record, September 26th Ellensburg, Washington
“Museum presents Puppet Slam” Wenatchee News, May 2, Wenatchee Washington
2011 “Cleanin’ up at the first Free for All” Tacoma News Tribune, Oct 9th , Tacoma, WA
“Busking About” Daily Record, Oct. 3rd, Ellensburg Washington
“BWW Reviews: O LOVELY GLOWWORM OR SCENES OF GREAT BEAUTY from New Century Theatre Company” Broadway World.com, April 16
2010 “Come Again?” Stranger, August 19th , Seattle Washington
“Seattle Erotic Art Festival: tough, tender, witty, kitschy, for adults only” Seattle Times, April 29th, Seattle Washington
2009 “Reviews: ‘It Came From Under the Tree!’ and ‘Six 10-Minute Comedies’ are naughty rather than nice” Seattle Times, December 10th, Seattle, Washington
“Bloody Henry” Seattle Weekly, October 14th, Seattle, Washington
“Bloody Henry a grossly funny history lesson” Seattle Gay News, Oct 2nd, Seattle, WA
“Puppet Master” Seattle University Magazine, Fall, Seattle Washington
“If Artists Ran the City” Seattle Weekly, September 16 – 22, Seattle, Washington
2008 “Pulled From Their Drunken Asses” The Stranger, October 29th, Seattle, Washington
2007 “It’s the End of the World as They Know It” Stranger, October 27, Seattle Washington
“October is a bloody murderous month on sundry Seattle stages” Seattle Post Intelligencer, October 11, Seattle Washington
2006 “Fair Welcomes all in it’s 35th year” Seattle Times, June18th, Seattle WA
2004 “Tree Lovers Protest Budget Cuts” Seattle Post Intelligencer, November 18th, Seattle, WA
“Headless Puppet Boy On The Loose” Seattle Weekly, September 22-28, Seattle, WA
“Heavy Handed Show Loses It’s Heart” Seattle Times, September 28th, Seattle, WA
“Frankenocchio is richly peculiar” Seattle Post Intelligencer, September 28th, Seattle WA
“When puppets cut loose” Seattle Post Intelligencer, April 16th, Seattle Washington
“It’s not kid stuff when puppeteers indulge their grown-up side” Seattle Post Intelligencer, April 15, Seattle, Washington
2003 “Frankenocchio, A Twisted Tale” Article and Cover Photo, Puppetry Journal, Spring
“Suffragettes, Puppets, and The Strangers Shepard Ban” The Stranger, February 13 -19, Seattle Washington
“Puppet show warped but winning” Seattle Times, February 10th, Seattle Washington
“A very strange puppet show about a circus Ringling Brothers never imagined” Seattle Gay News, February 7, Seattle, Washington
2002 “Cirque de Broadway, 2002” Capitol Hill Times, September 18th, Seattle, Washington
2001 “Not just another pretty ugly face” Seattle Post Intelligencer, June 16th, Seattle WA
1999 “Seattle’s Thistle Theatre: ready to show it’s magic” The Seattle Times, August 1st, Seattle, Washington