{"id":1832904,"date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1832904"},"modified":"2026-03-18T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T21:00:00","slug":"folklore-and-nature-converge-in-cat-johnstons-expressive-eccentric-puppets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1832904","title":{"rendered":"Folklore and Nature Converge in Cat Johnston\u2019s Expressive, Eccentric Puppets"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1828\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-8.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"An elaborate paper puppet by Cat Johnston featuring floral and leafy elements with a sad expression\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Detail of \u201cHay fever.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley. All images courtesy of Cat Johnston, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Folklore and Nature Converge in Cat Johnston\u2019s Expressive, Eccentric Puppets<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-03-18T09:42:31-05:00\">March 18, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-animation\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/animation\/\" rel=\"tag\">Animation<\/a><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><a class=\"category-craft\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/craft\/\" rel=\"tag\">Craft<\/a><a class=\"category-film\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/film\/\" rel=\"tag\">Film<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F03%2Fcat-johnston-models-puppets-paper-sculptures-animation%2F&amp;title=Folklore%20and%20Nature%20Converge%20in%20Cat%20Johnston%27s%20Expressive%2C%20Eccentric%20Puppets\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#83bcf0f6e1e9e6e0f7bec5ecefe8efecf1e6a6b1b3e2ede7a6b1b3cde2f7f6f1e6a6b1b3c0ecedf5e6f1e4e6a6b1b3eaeda6b1b3c0e2f7a6b1b3c9ecebedf0f7eceda6b1b4f0a6b1b3c6fbf3f1e6f0f0eaf5e6a6b1c0a6b1b3c6e0e0e6edf7f1eae0a6b1b3d3f6f3f3e6f7f0a5e2eef3b8e1ece7fabec5ecefe8efecf1e6a6b1b3e2ede7a6b1b3cde2f7f6f1e6a6b1b3c0ecedf5e6f1e4e6a6b1b3eaeda6b1b3c0e2f7a6b1b3c9ecebedf0f7eceda6b1b4f0a6b1b3c6fbf3f1e6f0f0eaf5e6a6b1c0a6b1b3c6e0e0e6edf7f1eae0a6b1b3d3f6f3f3e6f7f0a6b1b3a6c6b1a6bbb3a6bab7a6b1b3ebf7f7f3f0a6b0c2a6b1c5a6b1c5f4f4f4adf7ebeaf0eaf0e0ecefecf0f0e2efade0eceea6b1c5b1b3b1b5a6b1c5b3b0a6b1c5e0e2f7aee9ecebedf0f7ecedaeeeece7e6eff0aef3f6f3f3e6f7f0aef3e2f3e6f1aef0e0f6eff3f7f6f1e6f0aee2edeaeee2f7eaeceda6b1c5\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"471425\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A fashionable bat, a melancholy sun, and a springtime spirit with seasonal allergies are just a few of the characters conceived by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.catjohnston.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cat Johnston<\/a>. Drawing on childhood memories, folk art, and nature, the London-based illustrator and model maker creates expressive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/cat-johnston\">sculptures and puppets<\/a> that inhabit dreamlike realms.<\/p>\n<p>Invoking historical costumes and cartoonish and emotive faces, Johnston\u2019s otherworldly cast seems both familiar and strange, as if children\u2019s book protagonists have sprung to life or converged with a strange dream. Recent characters comprise a series of gods representing sunburn, hay fever, and insomnia, which also\u2014rather inconveniently\u2014<em>are <\/em>the sun, flowers, and the moon.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Johnston recently made her first short film in collaboration with stop-motion animator and fellow puppet-maker <a href=\"https:\/\/www.josephwallace.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Joseph Wallace<\/a> called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=07idVtDOFdE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Wickywock and the Jubjub Berry<\/a>.\u201d As a mythical woodland creature deals with a bout of sleeplessness, a forest sprite appears with what seems like a practical solution, but things don\u2019t exactly go as planned.<\/p>\n<p>Coinciding with a local pagan festival called the <a href=\"https:\/\/hastingstraditionaljackinthegreen.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green<\/a>, which occurs every first weekend of May, Johnston will have a small solo exhibition at a local pub called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecrownhastings.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Crown<\/a>. In addition to signing on to work with London-based cinematic studio <a href=\"https:\/\/www.passion-pictures.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Passion Pictures<\/a> as a director, the artist continues to explore the possibilities of film.<\/p>\n<p>Johnston is currently working on a few ideas for animated series and hoping to develop a slightly longer format stop-motion project while also working on another short film, \u201cwhich will be a mix of live action puppetry and stop-motion animation and will feature two flowery monsters and an extremely cute bee,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>You might also enjoy the quirky Hieronymus Bosch-inspired figures of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/roberto-benavidez\/\">Roberto Benavidez<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-5-960x1707.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471425\" title=\"\u201cSunburn.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cSunburn.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cSunburn.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-5-960x1707.jpeg\" alt=\"A sad, abstract figurative puppet representing the sun in medieval clothing by Cat Johnston\" class=\"wp-image-471430\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cSunburn.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-3-960x720.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471425\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-3-960x720.jpeg\" alt=\"A scorpion puppet by Cat Johnston\" class=\"wp-image-471428\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-4-960x1291.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471425\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1291\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-4-960x1291.jpeg\" alt=\"A figurative puppet with embellished shoulder details by Cat Johnston\" class=\"wp-image-471429\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-6-960x1707.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471425\" title=\"\u201cInsomnia.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cInsomnia.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cInsomnia.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-6-960x1707.jpeg\" alt=\"A sad, ogre-like figurative puppet by Cat Johnston\" class=\"wp-image-471431\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cInsomnia.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-7-960x1207.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471425\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1207\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-7-960x1207.jpeg\" alt=\"A bat-like figurative puppet by Cat Johnston\" class=\"wp-image-471432\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-2-960x1707.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-471425\" title=\"\u201cHay fever.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cHay fever.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cHay fever.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnston-2-960x1707.jpeg\" alt=\"An elaborate paper puppet by Cat Johnston featuring floral and leafy elements with a sad expression\" class=\"wp-image-471427\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cHay fever.\u201d Photo by Malcolm Hadley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" 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All images courtesy of Cat Johnston, shared with permission Folklore and Nature Converge in Cat Johnston\u2019s Expressive, Eccentric Puppets March 18, 2026 AnimationArtCraftFilm Kate Mothes Share Email Bookmark A fashionable bat, a melancholy sun, and a springtime spirit with seasonal allergies are just a few of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-1832904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1832904","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1832904"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1832904\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1832904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1832904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1832904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}