Craig Menteer, Artist
Performance Artist/Theater Artist/Visual Artist/Drummer
WildWalk Parade
The WildWalk Parade, now in its 32nd year was created in 1992 through an artist's residency with the International Wildlife Film Festival; the oldest wildlife festival in the world. Started by renowned bear biologist Charles Jonkel in 1977 the IWFF has a scientific and educational mission to honor animals and their struggles within their environment.
Over the years I opened my studio to the public in the weeks before the parade. Large-scale puppets were collaboratively built as well as individual masks and costumes for the parade.
Art teachers and community groups will often organize their creative energy around a theme. So you might see a gaggle of geese, a flock of magpies, or a slew of slugs
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Materials are simple and creative re-use is encouraged. Cardboard and paint,
Periodically, in my 32 years as artistic director of WildWalk I raise money to re-grant to artists to create large puppets, such as Will Tilton's Loon.
In 1992 working with the support of the Montana Arts Council and the International Wildlife Film Festival I opened my studio to the public for a month and the WildWalk Parade was created. On the chosen parade day we were blessed with a sunny day. We had received good press coverage, and as the saying goes – Everybody loves a parade. People showed up in costume to honor wildlife. That is a thing! Who knew? The parade created an opportunity for activism. WildWalk created an opening that citizens walked into to advocate for wildlife. Sure, it’s fun to get dressed up and march down the main street of your hometown but it is also a ritual with meaning. Ritual is an intregal part of reifying who we are and what we believe in supporting.
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