Anadromist #1
Byrne Power: Writer, Puppeteer, Music and Film Historian, Experimental Lo-Fi Filmmaker, Radio DJ, Lecturer
Residence: Tbilisi Georgia. Formerly of Haines, Alaska, New York City, Switzerland, the San Francisco Bay Area, Hawaii, Montana, France
Byrne Power in the forest, Haines, Alaska.
Long time followers of Gravity From Above may know that this is actually my second site.
My long running essay site, The Anadromous Life has also been running a YouTube channel for several years now. It has accrued some interest, with a few videos receiving many thousands of views. (Especially the puppetry lectures.) We would like to take this moment to say that we will be starting two more channels in the very near near future. One is entitled The Anadromist and this one will be closest in content to this site. I’ve felt I needed a place to ramble on about the many kinds of topics that I won’t have time for here. The other will be dedicated to my new life in Tbilisi Georgia.
And yes indeed I am now happily living in Tbilisi Georgia. It has been quite the time. I am learning Georgian (Kartuli) and I work for Union of Tbilisi Museums. And I have made good friends. Yet things are not quite as I expected, and that includes financially. My Gravity From Above documentary has stalled again. And I am wondering how I will be able to ship my full container to Georgia within the next year. If you wish to help us out with Gravity From Above you can do so through PayPal. You can choose between a a one time gift or you if you wish you can contribute an amount every month for a year. PayPal is probably the most cost efficient way of helping us with Gravity From Above and moving to Georgia. Thanks for helping me stay afloat with this dream. I couldn’t do it without you.
Thanks
From Tbilisi, Georgia
Byrne Power
GRAVITY FROM ABOVE 
I am a great admirer of Richard Teschner’s puppetry, your photo’s of his work are are the best I’ve seen. Please post more of them or better yet all of them.
Thanks,
Jim
November 9, 2012 at 7:21 AM
I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award!
http://abstractlucidity.com/2013/02/15/versatile-blogger-award/
February 15, 2013 at 8:19 AM
Greetings Mr. Power,
I own one of the earliest known Guignol Puppet Theatres. I am selling it and was wondering if you would be interested in it or know someone whom might be interested?
I may be reached at antonios.collectibles8 AT hotmail dot com
kind regards,
May 15, 2013 at 8:15 AM
Hello Byrne Power, I came upon your “Puppetry as Antidote Art” lecture – BRAVO! Did I miss the section where you explain your “antidote” conception? For many years I have quoted Rudolf Steiner as having said: “Puppets are the antidote to the ills of modern civilization.” I am pretty sure he said this about fairy tales, not puppets, but I think it works, and so was delighted to see your turn of phrase.
I am producing “Liberty Resurrection Parade,” an interactive, site specific, theatrical promenade with marionettes in lower Manhattan; if you come to NYC this fall, please come as my guest!
Best wishes,
Kevin Dann
August 23, 2014 at 1:43 PM
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for checking in. Glad to hear that my puppetry lecture made an impression. The Antidote part was primarily in the fact that puppets are tactile not virtual. I did point this out. But I’m also saving more of my observations for Gravity From Above. So the lecture was more of an introduction to the subject for the many who haven’t a clue. Your New York puppet happening sounds quite curious. Good luck and alas I won’t be out that way. Europe beckons and finances require stringent choices.
August 23, 2014 at 4:50 PM
What you share here is so fascinating, thanks for making it available
November 29, 2017 at 2:08 PM
Geraldine, thanks for your kind comments. This is an effort that I hope will pay off someday. With the help of the International Institute of Puppetry is should. There is much more to write as this trip isn’t even at the midway point. Yet it is encouraging to know that individuals here and there are following me.
By the way I’m guessing you might have found this already, but I have another site for general ideas called The Anadromous Life. If you like these essays you might appreciate those as well.
Here’s the link:
http://theanadromist.wordpress.com/
November 30, 2017 at 10:39 AM
Hello Byrne,
I’m writing to you from a puppet animation class in Prague. A fellow student told me about you.
I work in Naknek, AK for part of the year and have just started freelance work for a local paper and radio station there.
I would love to meet you after the salmon season, if that’s possible.
Enjoy your day!
April 19, 2018 at 11:28 PM
Monica thanks for contacting me. Write to me at reckoningmotions at yahoo dot com. We’ll see what we can do.
April 21, 2018 at 9:56 PM
Hi Byrne,
I have long been fascinated by puppetry, (Jim Henson – Labyrinth, Dark Crystal and The Storyteller was probably where it started). In my second year of Creative Writing, I was searching for other inspiration and discovered Svankmajer, Brothers Quay and various Czech stop-motion animations. I wanted to learn more and tried to find a good documentary about the history of puppetry (and in general) and failed. That was when I stumbled upon Gravity from Above and was so disappointed that it wasn’t available to watch. I rediscovered you recently and am sad (and surprised) that you still have not got all the funding and help you need. I hope you do soon. There is nothing out there like this and I believe it’s important. I admire you anyway for your passion and efforts.
I’d love to get involved with puppetry but am useless with art and crafts. But perhaps one day I could write for puppet theatre.
In the meantime, could you suggest good books about puppetry for me? (And any other films) Also, what is it like living in Georgia?
Amy, UK
May 21, 2019 at 5:43 AM
Hey Amy I appreciate the vote of confidence. I have over 30 hours of interviews, not to mentions all the other footage. For reasons I’d rather not write publicly I am stuck, and I need to find someone to help me put it all together. It turned out to be a bigger enterprise than I first imagined. YES. It really needs to get done. Anyway if you want to know what’s really going one please write me at reckoningmotions at yahoo dot com
And the puppet world needs writers.
Thanks for writing me. Get in touch. Maybe you have ideas?
Byrne
Oh!
Did you find my two long lectures on puppet art and history? (Plus other little selections from the coming documentary?)
Go their and subscribe to my video channel!
May 22, 2019 at 7:36 AM