with the hopes of becoming an elementary school teacher. During his final semester he took a puppetry course taught by Richard Bay. Bay hired Art to perform in puppet shows and a year later Art started the Puppet Art Theater Company. A year ago Art went back school to get his Master of Fine Arts in Theater from UC Davis. In hindsight, Art is glad he chose theater over teaching because, “I don’t want to be the disciplinarian for kids. I don’t have to worry about whether or not they’re sticking gum under the desks.” Not to mention, “I’m making more money as a puppeteer than I ever would as a teacher, which is a shame for teachers, but not so much for me.”

His favorite puppet is Gordon. Gordon warms up the audiences for each of his shows and greets web-surfers at the top of the Puppet Art Theater Company’s website, www.puppetarts.com. The reason that Gordon is the favorite was spoken without hesitation. Art and Gordon made a video for the UC Davis Medical Center meant to comfort children during cancer treatment. Gordon talked the pediatric patients through their treatment and gave them a reason to smile in a time of need. Art says he uses Gordon so often that he’s already on Gordon III; the first two have already worn out.

Art’s first puppet was given to him by his parents when he was a child, well before he wanted to be a puppeteer. According to Art, “My parents got me a Cookie Monster puppet. I always thought it was a gyp that Cookie Monster didn’t really eat