Katherine Fahey

Pocket Crankie Kits for Sale!

9/6/2020 - UPATE

I have been following the crankie career of Katherine Fahey since 2011.  This Baltimore, MD artist  introduced me to shadow pupptry and has provided inspiration ever since.

MATCHBOX CRANKIE KITS FOR SALE!! 🤩 Visit her Etsy shop to buy mini crankies! Katherine Fahey Etsy Shop

This award-winning Baltimore artist, has been a major influence to me a countless other crankie artists.

Katherine attended The Maryland Institute, College of Art (MICA) graduating with a degree in sculpture. Read an interview with Katherine from Wit's End Puppets,  April 15th, 2015 here.

 

One of her first crankies, Francis Whitmore's Wife,  introduced me to the technique of combining shadow puppetry with the scrolling crankie backdrop. I also learned about using Tyvek for the scroll background and hand cut images. This is a  technique she pioneered and now others (like me) are beginning to use this material for crankies.

Her intricate, elegant, hand-cut images are wonderfully expressive and a cut above (sorry, couldn't help it) most others.

The story of Elizabeth Whitmore, was 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 18th century. You can watch below.

 

A Compilation of Shadow Puppet Work
Francis Whitmore's Wife

CRANKIE FESTS AND PUPPET SLAMS!

Katherine has performed at many crankie fests and puppet slams. Films of her crankies have been shown a film festivals.  Read about two events below.

Baltimore Crankie Fest, 2014

Crankie Fest - East Meets West, Seattle 2014

CRANKIE PHOTO GALLERY

So many gorgeous images, it's hard to choose.  I'm starting out with this picture of her Katherine's work which was featured by LED Baltimore on the billboard above the Metro Gallery. 2015.

From "I Don't Feel Dead Yet" crankie, 2015. It's a ghost story crankie, which was commissioned by the Peabody School of Music.
From "Crow River Song" crankie, 2014. This crankie makes use of 2 overhead projectors as well as the human figure. There are 2 crankies which scroll vertically as well as horizontally!
From "Saudade" crankie, 2015. It was commissioned to design by Wit's End Puppets about the experience of living as an immigrant in the US.
From "Pickett's Charge" crankie, 2012. It was inspired by a song by Baltimore singer songwriter Ellen Cherry. You can watch it on You Tube.
From "Fish" 2011 and this was Katherine's first crankie. It was created as a music video for the group Wye Oak. It was a large crankie that scrolled vertically. The scroll was made from vellum painted with black and blue inks. You can find it on You Tube.