The South Philadelphia artist Sebastienne Mundheim is not entirely sure how her creations come alive, but she knows it has a lot to do with the magic of belief, writes Jane M. Von Bergen for Billy Penn at WHYY.

Recently, Mundheim created puppets for Arden Theatre Company’s production of The BFG (Big Friendly Giant). On stage, the actors breathe life into them, but there is more.

“It’s very interesting what the alchemy is that brings the puppets to life,” she said. “It’s technical and mechanical, and it’s also believable. The more we believe it, the more real it is.”

The children in the Arden audience are more than eager to believe as the theater is always filled with excitement before, during, and after the play.

Making puppets for Roald Dahl’s children’s classic was challenging, but Mundheim was up to the task.

She started by making a complex structure of chicken wire using a construction helmet as its base.

Mundheim built a simple structure out of paper and then upholstered it, tapped into a vibrant color palette, and just let the magic happen.

Beginning January 12, Mundheim will be exhibiting her work at The Delaware Contemporary.

Read more about Sebastienne Mundheim’s work in Billy Penn at WHYY.

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