Leaven Dream Puppets is founded on the collaborative work of Anca Hariton and David Woodin. Both artists strive to unfold the qualities of the puppets through movement and wordless story. Our original puppetry is inspired by cultural affinities and our experience with fine arts, architecture, education and art therapy. On the small scale of a puppet stage our entire life can be played in all its shades and refinement.
Anca Hariton
Anca is an artist, educator and published author. She grew up on the other side of the "iron curtain," in a creative family where stories, painting, crafts, humor and puppet making coexisted within a rich popular tradition that uplifted their spirits. Her Eastern European education in fine arts complete with a master in architecture fused with her design work and years of public school teaching, writing and painting in the U.S. and formed a perfect ground for developing puppetry.
See more of her work at
David Woodin
Puppetry integrates David’s work in fine arts and psychology. He trained in painting, sculpture at the N.Y. Studio School and received a master’s in psychology from J.F.K. University. His work took him to other states and overseas, where he was introduced to the vibrant puppetry tradition of Europe and studied with local masters. In 2018 he brought a cast of puppets home, to Portland, Oregon, and founded Leaven Dream Puppets with his wife, Anca, to produce their original puppet plays and share the unique qualities of puppetry with family audiences.
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