The Story & Significance

The Rose Devaa comes from the world of She Rose — Marya Stark’s devotional, ritual music and performance project centered on themes of love, grief, beauty, devotion, resilience, and transformation.

In the culmination of the first She Rose Tour, giant puppets were introduced as ritual theater beings — not props, but living symbolic presences on stage.

Toni Mikulka-Chang and Marya Stark collaborated to bring these beings into form, blending:

• Marya’s voice, song, and ceremonial performance

• Toni’s 20+ years of experience in giant puppetry, ritual objects, and immersive art
  

The Rose Devaa is a continuation of this lineage — a ceremonial figure designed to move through future performances, processions, and ritual theater.

By joining this workshop, participants become co-creators of a living performance being that will continue its life far beyond the studio.

What We Will Build

• One large-scale, wearable, performable giant puppet

• Featuring:

  • Sculpted head and hands

  • Fabric body

  • Engineered backpack frame

  • Fully painted and finished surfaces

• Designed for performance, procession, and ritual use
  

The Process (6-Day Arc)

Each day includes a lunch break.

Day 1 — Vision, Design & Sculpting

• Conceptualizing the Rose Devaa as a ritual being

• Symbol, story, and form development

• Scaling and design planning

• Sculpting the head and hands in clay and found materials

Day 2 — Papier-Mâché: Head & Hands

• Applying 6–8 layers of papier-mâché

• Learning professional techniques for strength and durability

• Structural refinement

Day 3 — Fabric Body & Sewing (While Mâché Dries)

• Patterning and constructing the body

• Sewing and assembling large fabric forms

• Designing movement, flow, and silhouette

Day 4 — Frame Building & Painting

• Building the backpack carry frame

• Painting and finishing the head and hands

• Surface detail, color, and expression work

Day 5 — Assembly & Test Run

• Putting all components together

• Balancing, fitting, and adjustments

• First movement tests and refinement

Day 6 — Performance, Ritual & Closing Online Session

• Final activation and embodiment of the puppet

• Performance / ritual run with Marya’s song and guidance

• Closing circle and integration

• Includes the final online session for reflection, story, and ritual closure

What You’ll Learn

Participants will learn, in real-world, large-scale application:

• Conceptualizing ritual and performance beings

• Scaling designs from sketch to giant form

• Sculpting for papier-mâché

• Professional papier-mâché techniques

• Patterning and sewing for large forms

• Building wearable structural frames

• Painting and finishing for performance visibility

• How giant puppets are animated, carried, and embodied

• How symbolic meaning is embedded into form

This includes:

Conceptualizing, scaling, designing, patterning, painting, sculpting, forming, building, and performing — plus a lot of fun.

The Ceremonial & Performance Aspect

Each day will be held in a creative, intentional container, with Marya weaving in:

• Song

• Presence

• Meaning

• Connection to the spirit of the Rose

The process is both craft and ritual.

Logistics

• Location: Grass Valley Museum of Art & Cultural History (formerly St. Joseph’s)

• Duration: 6 days

• Group Size: 15 participants (ideal working size)

• Includes:

  • All materials

  • All tools

  • All instruction and facilitation

  • Participation in a touring performance puppet

What Makes This Unique

• You are not just taking a class.

• You are co-creating a ceremonial being that will travel, perform, and live in the world.

• Your hands, time, and creativity become part of the story of She Rose.