Knightly News

Fabric, yarn and wiggly eyes can teach a lot about magic and the pursuit of dreams. Through his work with puppets, local puppet maker and puppeteer Clay Achee shares that message with young people every day.

Achee, who is now working on the second season of the LPB show, “Ziggy’s Arts Adventures,” recently taught Upper School Honors and Masters Visual Arts students about the art of puppet making. With tremendous enthusiasm, Achee helped students with patternmaking for a class assignment that requires them to make a puppet of their own. Over the next few weeks, students will bring the puppets to life using sewing machines and their imagination.

After working with Upper School students, Achee took a quick detour to the Lower School art room, where he introduced three year old Knights to his puppets, River and Ziggy. It's a scene that Achee relishes. “I like being around kids,” he says. “This is my demographic.” Achee frequently presents his craft at schools. Not only does he get to share what he loves, but he also learns along the way. “Teaching puppet making is the best way to learn the skill yourself,” Achee says. In addition, he appreciates the opportunity to stay in touch with his audience. “Ziggy’s Arts Adventure” is an art education program designed for first through fifth graders, and visiting schools helps Achee harness his inner child and better understand what resonates with children.

The Magic of Possibilities

It's easy to see the wonder when watching the littlest Knights interact with River. Achee says he enjoys presenting to young children because they still believe in magic. For Achee, that magic is there even as an adult, and he hopes to share it with children of all ages. Years ago, he began making puppets as a hobby, and now that hobby has become a career. He wants students to understand that life is full of possibilities. “At 30, I tried something new, and now at 40, it’s my career,” he says, reflecting on the path that life has taken him. “It’s ok to not go as planned.”

Similarly, creating puppets doesn’t follow a pre-determined path, and he wants students to know there is nothing wrong with that. “The message is more about trying things and being willing to mess up,” says Achee regarding what he hopes Upper School students take away from their time with him.

Art as a Way of Life

Upper School art teacher Veronica Hallock appreciates having a guest artist share his expertise with students and says if the artist has skills and experiences different from her own, it enhances the classroom experience. “A student being exposed to different types of artists allows them to see other ways of thinking and creating,” she says. “For these students who aim to be professional artists, it is good for them to meet artists who are working and making a living by their arts. The working artist has a very different way of thinking about their art as a business than a teacher who can make art for arts sake.” Hallock hopes the aspiring artists consider the business components of their potential careers as they move forward to college and beyond. “I hope to get these kids thinking as they start to choose courses in college that will help them think not only as a creative person but as an entrepreneur.”

From visual arts and theater to dance and music, Episcopal student artists benefit from a range of artistic experiences to help them develop their craft and determine their future. Now students can add puppet making to their growing portfolios. 

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2024-2025 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.