Mary Plaster is a Minnesota-raised, world-traveled, trans-disciplinary artist/activist/facilitator based on Spirit Mountain near the southern tip of Lake Superior. Her artwork of over 35 years includes mixed background across several areas of expertise, including sculpture, papier-mâché, graphics, painting, film, photography, puppetry, and theatre design and she has extensive spiritual companioning training. Mary is the founder/artistic director of the annual November multicultural art festivals, Duluth All Souls Night (DASN), exploring grief since 2008.

 

Internationally: Mary is known for Sophia, Divine Wisdom, a contemporary icon, completed 2003 whose image is displayed around the globe (archival Giclee prints are available in merch). Her giant puppets have traveled to The Cosmic Mass (TCM) with renowned spiritual theologian, the Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox, at the Parliament of the World’s Religions: Toronto (2018) and Salt Lake City (2015).

 

National Career Highlights include giant puppetry at: The Cosmic Mass (TCM) with theologian Matthew Fox (Washington DC National Cathedral, San Francisco Grace Cathedral, Oakland, Annapolis, Asheville, Chicago, Madison, Omaha, Kansas City and Esalon Institute), 2017 Double Edge Theatre of Ashfield, MA Town Spectacle, 2013 Kentucky Interfaith Power and Light Elements, and the 2007 Burning Man Festival (Green Man theme) in Black Rock City, NV. She spent the summer of 2008 as an apprentice with Bread and Puppet Theatre in VT.

 

In Minneapolis Mary is an associate artist with In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater (HoBT) and Barebones Puppets. She was a featured artist in 2017 at CTUL (Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha), the Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light Fundraiser, and in 2016 the Made Here downtown showcase, as well as Austin MN’s ArtWorks Festival. Her Prince rendition marched with Black Lives Matter. In St. Paul Mary’s art was displayed for a fundraiser for Minnesotans Without Poverty and she was a parade artist for several years with the Ordway International Children’s Festival. Her internships were with Jungle Theater and Children’s Theatre Company.

 

Part of Duluth, MN arts and social justice community since 2000, Mary has organized twelve Duluth All Souls Night (DASN) festivals and worked with: Minnesota Ballet, Art Institute (DAI), Playhouse (Underground, Play Ground, Children’s Theater and Stage Play Outreach Program [a partnership with the Scottish Rite Autism Clinic]), Children’s Museum, Lutheran Social Services Together for Youth  (LGBTQIA), Pride, MLK Weekend Committee, Monarch Buddies, Women’s March, University of Minnesota (UMD), College of St. Scholastica, (CSS), Lake Superior College (LSC), Duluth Community Collaborative, East and Proctor High Schools, St. Louis County Health and Human Services Conferences, Creating Accountable Communities for Health Conferences, and Echoes of Peace Choir events.