On a cold Wednesday night, about 20 people, mostly adults, gathered at Studio Wheelhouse, a community art space in Bozeman. Jessica Allred, a staff member with Random Acts of Silliness, has scissors in hand and explains instructions.
“We want the brown outside to be the outside. We don't want the pizza showing since we’re using recycled material," Allred said.
One workshop participant, Cimberli Kearns, volunteered for the inaugural parade last year and said the best part was watching people’s faces light up as glowing creatures marched through a public park.
“It was like wonder and enchantment. You know it’s freezing cold. I was like who’s going to be here. So many people,” Kearns said.
The lanterns inspired her as well, bringing her to the workshop this evening.
“I didn’t make the lantern and I was really bummed. I said next year I’m making my own lantern. I’m making an owl and I have no artistic ability whatsoever and it will be like a very funny, scary owl, but so what ? And people will still have joy over it,” Kearns said.
Local artist Kenda Miller designed the owl template that Kearns is using. Cutting out cardboard from a flattened Lacroix box and hot gluing it all back together to create a 3-D owl illuminated by a small string of LED lights.
“I can use resources and make them seem magical, at least that’s the goal,” Miller said.
Like the large bag of saved chocolate foil wrappers she brought to adorn owl beaks and feet, which is how she got the Random Acts of Silliness title ‘Resource-eress’.
Miller says she’s never taught a class like this, but really enjoyed the collective making process.
“It’s just so much fun. It gives you a place and a community, those things are rare and those things are necessary,” Miller said.
Which is an intentional part of the lantern parade, one that Random Acts of Silliness Executive Enchantment Director Danielle Thomsen says the non-profit leaned further into this year, creating more local workshops, facilitated by local artists.
“That is these months of bringing people together into this cozy space to work on something joyful and enjoy each others' company and have a creative outlet. I think that provides a lot of needed connection and stimulation and joy during a dark time of year,” Thomsen said.
“When community members experience what we call 'collective wonder’ it makes them feel happier, and more joyful and more connected to their community,” Thomsen said.
The joy was apparent in throughout the workshop, people pointing and smiling at each others creations.
“Do we have any finished lanterns? Can we get our finished lanterns ready so we can do a quick turn out the lights out for a minute,” Thomsen asked.
Two hours after beginning, the finished lanterns with chocolate foil feet and creative cut outs lit up the room, eliciting oohs and ahhs.
The parade will also feature two large puppet lanterns imagined by local children and brought to life under the instruction of world-class artists and Bozeman builders.
“To have an occasion that’s all about celebrating light in the literal sense but also light in terms of our imagination and stories and our creativity is just a great way to bring people together,” Thomsen said.
Throughout the parade route four local choir groups will bring the enchanting creatures alive in the dark winter evening.
The lantern Parade will be at Gallatin Valley Regional Park on February 22nd. More information can be found at www.randomactsofsilliness.com
