Marks with the creatures of the 1990s Fox Kids program "Jim Henson's Animal Show with Stinky and Jake."
Opportunity: Internship with Jim Henson Company, Queens, New York
Graduate: Ilana Marks (BAD/Anni Albers 2008)
Most star-struck moment: “Walking into the workshop and seeing Mr. Snuffleupagus.”
Primary duties: “Building puppets and their props and costumes, which requires everything from sewing and painting to using power tools.”
Most interesting aspects of the job: Working on the Sesame Street set and shopping for fabrics and trims in the Garment District. “I utilize my understanding of fabric behavior, especially color and texture (for the camera), and scale (for the puppet).”
Something you learned at the College of Design that came in handy: “The process of generating ideas, paring down, generating more ideas within a more specific scope, paring down, and so on, was emphasized throughout my studies in the College of Design. I have been shocked at how many people I encounter who do not know how to focus their work in this way. Several times a day, I ask ‘what if?’ and find myself going through this process, just as I did at State.”
Marks is finishing her MFA in Theatrical Design at the University of Texas, where she concentrates on scenic and costume design.
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