It's not everyday that you run into a puppet maker. Over the years, I have been fortunate to know a handful of puppet makers who reside in Buffalo. Puppet makers and puppeteers might be few and far between, but the joy that they spread is plentiful. That's because they spend their time creating puppets - and their characters - that then 'come to life' in magical ways.
There is one local puppet maker and puppeteer who has spent over 15 years involved with puppet building, video production, book writing, and paintings. His name is Adam Kreutinger, and he's got a show coming up at Daemen University titled "Adam Kreutinger: Puppetry for Everyone." In the show, 45 of Kreutinger's puppets will be featured, including original characters, designs for local stage productions, and various caricature puppets.
Kreutinger is widely known as the teacher and puppeteer behind "Puppet Nerd" a YouTube channel that has amassed a following of 162,000 subscribers since 2010. Not only has Kreutinger managed to build up such a significant following of fans, he has also had his puppets featured on the Food Network, Comedy Central, Adam Savage's Tested, and Disney on Broadway's Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaptation.
If you're not familiar with Kreutinger, his puppets, his spitfire personality, or his Puppet Nerd YouTube channel, I implore you to watch the video below.
Unfortunately, Kreutinger was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2022, which has limited the ways that he can interact with his puppet-related skills, which is why he is mainly involved with drawing, writing, and 3D printing these days. Due to his increased seizures and mobility issues, he has limited the scope of tools he can safely operate, which is why this upcoming show is such a benchmark undertaking for the stalwart artist.
"We are proud to celebrate the work of Adam Kreutinger, a homegrown talent who has really guided the puppetry community into the 21st century," said Dan Shanahan, chair of Daemen's Visual & Performing Arts Department. "This exhibit visually captures the variety and vitality of puppetry while highlighting Adam's unique style."
An opening reception will take place at Daemen University, 4380 Main Street in Amherst, on Friday, August 16, 2024, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The exhibit will be held in the Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Gallery in the Nancy Haberman Gacioch Center for Visual and Performing Arts. The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, will be on display through Friday, October 4, 2024. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-7 p.m.