Meet Marie Claire Macadar | Artist-Musician-Puppeteer-Educator

I’d love to share- it was a long time coming!

Before I started my current endeavors, I was working a full time job for several years. It was my first office job and I often worked six days a week, but I would still make time to perform a puppet show, play a music gig, or give an art class as often as I could.

After I left this job, I did some unenthusiastic job-searching for normal, societally respectable jobs, and found nothing I had any interest in. My health also wasn’t doing so great, so I needed something with a flexible schedule.  I thought, “Marie Claire! Who cares what job you do? You’re an artist! You’re weird! Do! What! You! Love!”

  So, I did. Over the past few months, I created a business where I am all the things: puppeteer, musician, painter, art teacher, art college consultant, and vintage clothing seller. These may sound like a lot, but they all work together under my project, “Maricler’s World”. In my world, each aspect gets to exist on its own while inspiring the others. They have grown into a web of creation and connection. It’s truly the best of all worlds!

When I began my multi-artistic practice, I never thought I’d be taken seriously.  I make silly and playful work in visual art, music, puppetry, I teach art, and curate/sell vintage. There is so much messaging in our society that says “there’s no place for all of this in the world of adults”, and that had become pretty ingrained in me.

But, I stuck with all of these creative practices because they brought me joy. And, after eight years of performing puppet shows, sharing my music, and teaching art, I now realize that play is my practice’s most powerful quality- it creates connection in a way we all desperately need.

  The first example of this kind of connection occurred one week after the 2016 election. I was premiering a puppet show about my childhood relationship with the moon, and it felt wrong to share a happy puppet show when people were feeling so much pain. But after my performance, audience members lined up to let me know it was the first time since the election that they had laughed, smiled, or felt hope.

  This moment and many more have taught me that sincerity and silliness are as important as seriousness. Whether it is a music video where I’m dressed as a clown, or beginning an art class with “puppet stretches”, I see so many smiles created through my work. I am excited to keep creating connection doing all the things I love.

•Frogtown to walk on the LA River

•get a sandwich at Wax Paper, right by the river (the Ira Glass is a CLASSIC)

•Start a day getting bagels at Courage Bagels. It is the only place in town that I’ll wait in an hour-long line for anything.

•catch a puppet show at Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Highland Park!
•shop one-of-a-kind clothes at Customland on Melrose

•Los Feliz flea market on a Saturday- free parking and free entry!

•get a juice at Tropical Juice LA on Figueroa

I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my parents, who have fully supported me in career decisions that some parents might not.