Out of the Mud, Into the Magic

Oct 21

From ceramics and music to giant puppets and community art, Soozie Lindbloom brings a spirit of collaboration and joyful creativity to Carbondale. As Programs and Community Outreach Manager at the Carbondale Clay Center, percussionist for local band Typical Ghost, and founder of Out of the Mud Puppet & Mask Theatre, she believes art has the power to bring people together, build connections, and help create the world we want to live in. In our conversation, Soozie reflects on the magic of making things together, the importance of community traditions (like the upcoming Día de los Muertos Celebration) and the creative spirit that makes Carbondale such a special place to call home.

You wear a lot of creative hats in the Carbondale community—from your work at Carbondale Clay Center to playing music with Typical Ghost. How do these different creative practices and communities inform one another?

“I am so fortunate to get to work, play, and create with incredibly talented artists of so many different mediums and genres. My 9-5 job at the Carbondale Clay Center is as inspiring as what I do outside of my job because I often find myself interacting with passionate artists who dedicate so much time and attention to feeding their wild, artistic self - and we all benefit because of it. Through their inspiration, I strive to find the flow space and live there when I'm creating - no matter what genre or medium. This is when I'm my most authentic self and the work or the music hopefully reflects that. And when the flow happens within a creative group all working together on a project that we then get to share with the community... That's where it all comes together for me. That’s where the magic happens.

With that said, check out the new tile mural on the wall next to the front door of the Crystal River Elementary School. That is a collaboration between the Carbondale Clay Center and last year’s 2nd grade students. Working with those students and teachers to create and install that mural was one of the highlights of my year.”

“I learned that it’s more enjoyable for me to try to make the world a better place when we do it together. I’ve learned that I’m the type of artist who is much better at creating art that reflects the world I want to live in, and that this type of art can nourish a community and build connections. All art is important. All art elevates.”

— Soozie Lindbloom

Between your work in ceramics, music, puppetry, and community arts, collaboration seems to be a common thread in your creative life. What have you learned about making art with—and for—a community?

“I learned that it's more enjoyable for me to try to make the world a better place when we do it together. I've learned that I’m the type of artist who is much better at creating art that reflects the world I want to live in, and that this type of art can nourish a community and build connections. All art is important. All art elevates. I mean that wholeheartedly. I'm just personally better at art that addresses the problems we have by focusing on the great adventure to be had in tackling those problems and bringing about change. With that said, I find a lot of personal truth as an artist in this quote: ‘Creating the world we want is a much more subtle but more powerful mode of operation than destroying the one we don't want.’ - Marianne Williamson.

I bear witness to this concept every day in our Carbondale community, and I have learned that this is because of the passionate, creative, collaborative people who live and work here. We know that art in all its many forms helps build a caring and connected community. As the bumper sticker says… Any revolution without art is suspect.”

You’ve also been collaborating with Carbondale Arts and Stepping Stones to create another giant puppet for the upcoming Día de los Muertos First Friday celebration. What has that process been like, and what does it mean to you to help bring this vibrant tradition into a community celebration?

“I have been involved in our community Día de los Muertos celebration since its inception, providing giant puppets or puppet shows with various school groups for it almost every year. This year, I am in the process of creating a giant puppet with young adults from Stepping Stones, and it has been such a joy to get to know them, to watch their creativity unfold, and to see their eyes widen as this puppet is slowly and steadily taking shape. They chose to create an axolotl and adorn it in the alebrije style, so keep your eyes out for a super colorful, fantastical, and culturally-inspired creature at this year’s procession.

While we papier mache the piece (which takes many hours), we talk about a lot of topics from the importance of art in one’s life, to personal dreams, to musings on the holiday itself and the role it plays in their life. Día de los Muertos gives such beautiful reverence to the meaning of life by honoring death so deeply, so openly, and with such inspiring creative expression. Not everyone grew up with this tradition. For many, death and grief is a personal burden to bear, one that we bottle up inside as we try to live our daily lives. At least, that’s how I grew up, but it's not the healthiest way to be or to process. How refreshing, then, it was for me to learn about the Day of the Dead traditions so many years ago.

Every year I strive to learn more about this rich tradition that does not hide death away and instead welcomes all to collectively grieve and also to celebrate those who have passed. I’m so grateful to see how our community has embraced this holiday, not just because of how it has helped me grow, process, and heal as a person, but also in how it has created a cultural bridge that honors the traditions of many in our Latino community members, while making the celebration uniquely Carbondale. These types of cultural exchanges help us learn from each other and build relationships. That’s the kind of community I want to live in, and I’m honored to have been asked to share my talents and create for this beautiful holiday with Stepping Stones this year.”

*Soozie’s rainbow bird puppet, Mountain Fair, 2021*

You recently received a Carbondale Arts artist grant to create a large-scale community puppet show. What sparked the idea for this project, and what excites you most about bringing it to life? What do you envision for the community’s role in creating and participating in the show?

“Out of the Mud Puppet & Mask Theatre has been around for almost 20 years now. In addition to creating large puppets for parades and festivals, I used to collaborate with artists and schools to create puppet shows of all sizes. We performed a variety of shows a few times each year in Carbondale and beyond. I loved doing this and got such positive feedback from the community. And then, well, everything stopped. There was a world pandemic, and we weren't gathering anymore.

I began to explore other art forms during the pandemic. I played a ton of mandolin. I eventually found Typical Ghost practicing right in my own neighborhood and dusted off the hand drums as they welcomed me in (percussion is my first musical love). I was actually pretty happy with these shifts, and figured puppetry was a great past chapter with the exception of participating in a few choice events every year like the opening drum circle at Mountain Fair and the Día de los Muertos procession.

However, people kept asking me to bring back the actual puppet shows, that they were a special thing, and that the community needed them again. I tried ignoring that, as creating these shows is a ton of work, and I had different creative avenues to explore. But that inner voice grew louder, so this year I decided to apply for the grant– if I got accepted, then I would take that as a sign that it was meant to be.

And then I got the grant! As daunting as creating a giant show again is, I am so excited to bring it back for all the creative, community reasons already mentioned. I feel that, in addition to getting the motivation to create a big show, some other pretty special opportunities, like creating with Stepping Stones, opened up because I put myself out there as a puppeteer again.

What is this big show, you ask? Well, I have a story in mind that I wrote and am working out all the logistics of where, when, and how. What I do know is that the show I'm hoping to create will take a lot of support. Many have already offered to help, and I’ll be acting on those offers and seeking more soon. People can also support by being in the show and/or by coming to see it. Details to come in the new year!”

Carbondale has a long history of artists creating unconventional, participatory experiences that bring people together. What makes this community a particularly fertile place for projects like the giant alebrije-style puppet and the giant puppet show?

Unconventional participatory experiences... what a great way to put it! I'm going to have to use that phrase more often. So... what makes this place so ripe for these types of events? Answer: A long tradition of arts, community, and personal expression in Carbondale, and the desire to preserve and be a part of that.

Here's my take. When my Viking and I moved here in 2002, there were not a lot of amenities or events. In addition to the natural beauty around us and a shared ethos to protect it, what we had were the arts, creativity, culture, and community. We made much of our own fun back then, and we loved hearing stories of how the soulful, goofy, passionate, and talented nutballs and visionaries before us made their fun as well. A lot of our past was centered around community celebrations and volunteerism. People knew that and preserved that spirit.

And we continue to do this today. The good news is that in our best moments as a community, we're still finding joy and inclusion now because those who came before us set the stage for us to be our true selves here, to care about each other, and to care about this planet. We need to continue to carry that torch. Let’s put our phones down and instead see what’s right in front of us. Contribute to it. Volunteer. Create Art. Support Artists. Keep Learning. Keep Laughing. Keep Shining. Go Solar. Pay it Forward. Vote. And above all else, keep protecting what is wild to your heart.

Where can folks find out more about all of the projects and happenings you have in the works?

I wear a few different hats so here goes:

I am the Programs and Community Outreach Manager at the Carbondale Clay Center - sign up for our e-newsletter, follow us on socials, or see all of the great classes, workshops, gallery, and community events at carbondaleclay.org. Contact us to schedule a clay class/event for your group.

I play percussion in a local band, Typical Ghost: Listen to our original music for free and find out more about upcoming shows at typicalghost.com. Follow us on social media. Find our tunes on all the streaming platforms, and come release your inhibitions on the dance floor at a live show.

I am the Founder of Out of the Mud Puppet & Mask Theatre - my website is not up to date, but click on “performances” to see images from past shows, festivals, and other unconventional participatory experiences at mudpuppets.org.

*And check out KDNK radio, The Sopris Sun newspaper, Sol del Valle, and the Carbondale Creative District newsletters for all your local news and entertainment. They are community treasures and need our support!

Carbondale Arts

Out of the Mud, Into the Magic

Honoring Legacy Through Art