Giant Puppets


Photo by Anna Androsova

Ancestor puppets for the  Portland All Souls River Procession, 2024

Puppets designed by Moni Sears and constructed with the assistance of the Wildland Roots volunteers. Materials include grocery bags, flour bags, cardboard boxes and reclaimed paper fiber. Painted with acrylic and latex paint.

Photo by Ada Matusiewicz

Cardboard Monsters for the Portland Mardi Gras Parade 2024, 2025 and Portland Winter Light Festival 2025

PDX Monsters puppets designed and constructed by Moni Sears with technical assistance from Rick Sears. Primarily made from wastestream materials including cardboard boxes and grocery bags. Painted with spray and acrylic paint, and illuminated by black-light.

Mini Cardboard Monsters for the Portland Mardi Gras Parade 2025

Mini PDX Monsters designed and constructed by Moni Sears and Wildland Roots volunteers. Primarily made from wastestream materials including cardboard boxes and grocery bags. Painted with spray and acrylic paint, and illuminated by black-light.

Photo by Anna Androsova

Old Bone Mother (version 2),
for the Portland All Souls River Procession, 2024

Giant skeletal puppet designed by Moni Sears and constructed by Moni and Rick Sears with assistance from the Wildland Roots volunteers. Made from paper mache (recycled grocery bags), recycled cardboard, ethafoam, PVC pipe, and fabric. Painted with acrylic paint and latex house paint. This second version of the Bone Mother was significantly lighter in weight than the original allowing her head and body to be mounted on a backpack frame supported by one puppeteer.

Photo by Lane Rollins
Photo by Destiny Johnson, Oregon Live / The Oregonian

Giant Raccoon
for the Echoes in Time "Mask Night" parade and celebration, 2024

Puppet designed by Moni Sears and constructed by Moni with assistance from volunteers. Made from paper mache (recycled grocery bags), recycled cardboard, rattan, bamboo, and burlap fabric. Painted with natural pigments.

Photo by Anna Androsova

Old Bone Mother (version 1),
for the Portland All Souls River Procession, 2023

Giant skeletal puppet designed by Moni Sears and constructed by Moni and Rick Sears with assistance from the Wildland Roots volunteers. Made from paper mache (recycled grocery bags), recycled cardboard, paper pulp, PVC pipe, metal conduit, insulation foam and fabric. Painted with acrylic paint and latex house paint. Crown from beach-combed driftwood, wire, and animal bones. For this original version of the Bone Mother the head and body were mounted on litter carried by two people.

Photo by Anna Androsova
Photo by Anna Androsova
Photo by Anna Androsova

Giant bear puppet for the Winter Feast of Story and Song solstice celebration, 2019

Giant bear puppet designed and constructed by Moni Sears. Paper mache (recycled grocery bags) and recycled cardboard. Body from PVC, cardboard and burlap. Painted with natural mineral pigments.