Elkland Art Center founder Martha Enzmann uses canvas to create a hat. Enzmann, an avid puppet enthusiast, will display her work in the Bank of Todd and at the Todd Mercantile Gallery Sept. 19 for the fourth annual Elkland International Puppet festival. Photo by Megan Northcote

by MEGAN NORTHCOTE
Intern Lifestyles Reporter

Even as a child, Martha G. Enzmann spent her earliest days running her own business.

With the help of her father, Enzmann held puppet shows for the children in her neighborhood, charging only a “pretty button” for admission.

But unlike most children, Enzmann’s fascination with childhood toys was not a passing phase.

In fact, it turned into a future career.

In 1997, Enzmann and her husband purchased an old school building in Todd, N.C.

Before long, it was transformed into Elkland Art Center, an educational, non-profit organization offering a wealth of creative opportunities for people of all ages to explore.

“[The old school building] was a perfect place to offer formal art classes,” Enzmann, who holds a master of fine arts in painting said. “Eventually, we started taking artwork to other areas.”

Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children – unfortunately, no buttons will be accepted.

“We are puppeteers and we go to puppet festivals and we want to continue educating our community about puppets,” Enzmann said.

He said puppetry is one of the oldest art forms and includes painting, drama and sculpture.

Deborah A. Tallarico, 2008 Appalachian State University alumna of the expressive arts therapy program, currently works as a therapeutic art counselor and volunteers with the Elkland Art School.

“I believe in the process of dialoguing with your inner self,” Tallarico said.

Appalachian master students and members of Orchesis, an honor society of expressive arts therapy, worked to plan the event and create puppets and costumes.

Lexie L. Danner, graduate expressive arts therapy student and member of Orchesis, coordinated the line up for this year’s puppet festival.

“We’re bringing people from all over the world to little tiny Todd,” Danner said.

Both professional and amateur puppeteers will perform at the event, and the festival will begin with four hours of programmed puppet shows from around the world.

Additionally, Puppet Jam will begin at 7 p.m., an opportunity for students to try their hand at being a puppeteer. One show, titled “Runaway,” features a story about the robbery of the Bank of Todd.

“Puppets are an animated life form,” Enzmann said. “They have their own life force.”

But puppets are only one of the many ways the Elkland Art Center exposes the community to art.

In honor of the International Day of Peace, established by the United Nations in 1982, Elkland is holding a Peace Parade Sept. 21 at 4 p.m. in Boone.

The purpose of the event is to “get people thinking about what peace means to them in their daily lives,” Enzmann said.

Participants will wave peace flags, carry doves and walk through the streets in white robes to express peace, harmony and unity.

Students who wish to participate are encouraged to meet at the Watauga County Library at 3:30 p.m. that day, and the parade will end at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts.

Last year, 40 to 50 students and community members marched in the parade.

This year, Enzmann hopes to have at least 100.

Following the parade will be a party at Our Daily Bread at 5 p.m. Festivities will include music, belly dancing and a raffle drawing. Those interested in donating to the raffle can contact Cindy Ball at 719-6127.

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