Toni is an artist specializing in educational puppetry. Her puppetry art has been featured at major events produced by Bioneers, Facebook, Cysco, SF Botanical Gardens, Sunday Streets, Oakland Public School District, Association of Children’s Museums, and more. Ms. Mikulka aims to create positive social change, community connection, and increased ecological sustainability with the messaging in her puppetry.. Her performances often combine large rod supported puppets, backpack puppets, and small hand puppets, finger puppets, shadow puppets, bunraku puppets, and kite puppets.

EDUCATION:

Bread and Puppet, Summer Puppet Theater Apprenticeship, Gover Vermont 2010

State University of New York College at Plattsburgh 2002 - 2005

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Cultural Anthropology and Studio Art
Graduated Cum Laude | Activities and Societies: Honors Society, Anthropology Club, Visual Arts Club, Outdoor Society, Expedition Club, Center for Women's Concerns, Lacrosse Club Team. Awards: Outstanding Anthropologist Award, James Mapstone Prize for Best Paper

ART EXPERIENCE
Awards, Installations, Performances, Teaching

2020 SO FAR:
Local Heroes Sponsored by Waste Management, Featured Educational Puppet Performance, Oakland, CA
Daybreaker (Sober Morning Dance Party), Featured Performance Act and Giant Flag Decor Artist, San Francisco, CA
Starline Social Club, Featured Interactive Puppet Art Parade for Bicicletas por la Paz, Oakland CA
Emerson Elementary School, Featured Puppet Show, Oakland CA 2020

2019:
Monkey Palooza (Family Festival), Puppet Teacher and Featured Puppet Show, Berkeley, CA
Extended Day Childcare Center in Dublin, Educational Puppet Shows, Dublin, CA
Mini Makerfaire at Park Day School, Giant Puppet Installation, Oakland, CA
Visit California and Visit USA Annual Conference, Featured Puppet Parade, Anaheim, CA
Annie’s Annuals and Perennials Seasonal Garden Parties, Featured Installation Artist
Oregon Country Fair, Featured Giant Puppet Installation and Butterfly Parade, Veneta, OR
High Sierra Music Festival, Giant Puppet Parade Director and Parade Art Workshop Teacher, Quincy, CA
San Francisco Sunday Streets, Featured Giant Puppet Art Installation and Parade Director, San Francisco, CA
Daybreaker, Featured Performance Act and Giant Flag Decor Artist, San Francisco, CA
Bioneers, Featured Puppet Artist, San Rafael, CA
Habitot Children’s Museum in Berkeley, Featured Puppeteer Berkeley CA
Center for Biological Diversity, Featured Puppet Parade for Petition Delivery to Nancy Pelosi to Protect the Endangered Species Act, San Francisco, CA

2018:
Nike, 30th Anniversary of the Just Do It Campaign, Featured Giant Puppet Performance Portland, OR
Puppet Workshop Teacher Oakland Public Schools, Oakland CA
Reimagine: Campaign To Reimagine Death, San Francisco, Set Designer for Lava Saga Installation, San Francisco, CA
Facebook Developer Conference, Featured Giant Puppet Artist, San Francisco,CA
Annie’s Annuals and Perennials Seasonal Garden Parties, Featured Installation Artist and Puppeteer, Richmond, CA
Oakland Women’s March, Featured Giant Puppet March, Oakland, CA
Oregon Country Fair, Featured Giant Puppet Installation and Butterfly Parade, Xavanadu Area, Veneta, OR
High Sierra Music Festival, Giant Puppet Parade Director and Parade Art Workshop Teacher, Quincy, CA
Love Our Parks Day, Giant Puppet Installation, Pinole, CA
San Francisco Sunday Streets, Featured Giant Puppet Art Installation and Parade Director, San Francisco, CA
Daybreaker ( Morning Dance Party), Featured Performance Act and Giant Flag Decor Artist, San Francisco, CA
Bioneers, Featured Puppet Artist, San Rafael, CA
Habitot Children’s Museum in Berkeley, Featured Puppeteer, Berkeley, CA
Joshua Tree Music Festival, Parade Director and Installation Artist, Joshua Tree, CA

2017:
Bioneers, Featured Giant Puppet Art Installation, San Rafael, CA
San Francisco Peace In The Park, Featured Giant Puppet Art Installation and Parade Director, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA
Burning Man, Parade Procession Leader and Featured Puppet Artist, Black Rock City, NV
Oregon Eclipse Global Gathering, Roving Giant Puppet Performance Troupe Director, Prineville, Oregon
Oregon Country Fair, Featured Giant Puppet Installation and Butterfly Parade, Xavanadu Area, Veneta, OR
High Sierra Music Festival, Giant Puppet Parade Director and Parade Art Workshop Teacher, Quincy, CA
San Francisco Sunday Streets, Featured Giant Puppet Art Installation and Parade Director, SanFrancisco, CA
Daybreaker, Featured Performance Act and Giant Flag Decor Artist, San Francisco, CA
Whole Foods in Berkeley on Gilman, Featured Puppeteer with Folkmanis Puppets, Berkeley, CA
Bioneers, Featured Puppet Artist, San Rafael, CA
Art of Burning Man, Nevada Museum of Art, Featured Roving Artist for Opening of Show, Reno CA
2016:
Burning Man, Davinci’s Workshop Procession To Inaugurate the Artery Guild Workshops, Featured Giant Puppet Performance, Black Rock City, NV
Daybreaker Morning Dance Rave, Featured Puppet Performance, San Francisco, CA
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Music Festival, Featured Puppet Act, San Francisco, CA
Rainbow Serpent Music Festival, Singer with CelloJoe and Puppeteer, Victoria, Australia
San Francisco Gay Pride Parade, Featured Procession with Giant Silk Flags and Giant Puppets Save the World, San Francisco, CA
High Sierra Music Festival, Giant Puppet Parade Director, Quincy, CA
Artumnal Ball (Burning Annual Gala), Stilt Walker, San Francisco, CA
Bicycle Music Festival, Non-Musical Talent Booker, Oakland, CA
2015:
Electric Daisy Carnival, Insomniac Arts, Puppet Performance, Las Vegas, NV
Oregon Country Fair, Featured Performer, Youth Stage and New Area, Veneta, OR
San Francisco Botanical Gardens 75th Anniversary Celebration, Featured Giant Puppeteer, Performance Artist, San Francisco, CA
Living Folklore, Puppet Performance, Stilt Walker, & Vocalist, Quincy, CA
High Sierra Music Festival, Stilt Walker & Puppeteer, Quincy, CA
Habitot Children’s Museum, Communications Manager, Class Teacher, & Puppeteer Berkeley, CA
Rock the Bike | Pedal Powered Blenders & Sound Systems, Immersive Art Coach, Oakland, CA
Lightning in a Bottle Festival, Performance Artist and Vocalist with Bikerophone Pedal Powered Stage & CelloJoe, Bradley, CA
MakerFaire, Performance Artist with Giant Silk Flags, San Mateo, CA
Lucidity Festival, Singer and Giant Puppeteer, Lake Cachuma, CA
Envision Gathering, Singer and Performance Artist, Costa Rica, Uvita
Serenity Gathering, Singer and Puppeteer, Pauma Valley, CA
Big Fun Circus, Stilt Walker, Oakland, CA

2014:
Billion Jelly Bloom Puppets, Jellyfish Bloom Leader, San Francisco, CA
Chalk the Block, Giant Puppet Project Manager, El Paso, TX
Sun City Music Festival, Spectacle Project Manager, El Paso, TX
Living Folklore, Stilt Walker and Storyteller, Quincy, CA
High Sierra World Music Festival, Stilt Walker and Storyteller, Quincy, CA
Oregon Country Fair, Featured Puppeteer on Youth Stage, Veneta, OR
Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, Workshop Teacher and Giant Puppeteer, Boonville, CA
Habitot Children’s Museum, Class Teacher and Cooking Instructor for: “Let’s Do Lunch”, “Puppet Playtime”, “Pet Alphabet Puppets”, “Puppet Storytime”, and Special Programs, Berkeley, CA
PUPPETPLEX Telethon Live Video Stream Kickstarter, Featured Puppeteer, Cloud 9, Berkeley, CA

2013:
Berkeley Sunday Streets, Giant Puppet Parade Director and Workshop Teacher, Berkeley, CA
Rabbit Hole Masquerade, Giant Flower Installation Artist and Workshop Teacher, Sonoma, CA
Burning Man, Fractal Planet, Giant Bird Puppeteer for the Human Experience, Black Rock City, NV
Habitot Children’s Museum, Puppet Playtime, Storyteller and Puppeteer, Berkeley, CA
The Big To Do Puppet Crew, “Fresh Food For Thought” on the Common Vision Fruit Tree Tour, Richmond, CA
Con Brio and the Jason Ancheta Band, Featured Puppeteer, The Independent, San Francisco, CA
Kangaro Concerts: Marine Mammal Mammal Center Benefit, Featured Puppeteer, Community Music Center, San Francisco, CA
SF Chinese New Year Parade, Giant Puppet Builder, Pier 54 in San Francisco, CA

2012:
Sea of Dreams Party, Interactive Art Booth and Shadow Puppet Theater, Puppeteer, San Francisco, CA
Heather Normandale’s Trembling Water CD Release Party, Puppeteer and Puppet Designer, Berkeley, CA
Habitot Children’s Museum, Pre-school Teacher and Puppet Workshop Educator, Berkeley, CA
Hacker Mom’s Hacker Space, Creative Caretaker and Art Teacher, Oakland, CA
Shrimp Fest, Puppeteer for Rock the Bike Stage and Pleasant Revolution, Yuba River, CA
Gaia Festival, Performer and Puppeteer at the Rock the Bike Stage, Black Oak Ranch, CA
Mystic Garden Gathering, Giant Puppets Save the World Performer and Puppeteer, Selmec, OR
What The Festival, Giant Puppets Save the World Performer and Puppeteer, Bend, OR
Oregon Country Fair, Public Art Educator with the Fremont Arts Council, all ages, Veneta, OR
Creative Care After School Program, Private tutor for kids ages 5-8, Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn, NY
Arch Production and Design, Set Designer and Fabricator for Neuro Safari, Brooklyn, NY
Arch Production and Design, Construction and Design for Mad Sharp Productions’ Aghoria, Brooklyn, NY
Cosmic Opera at the Hammerstein Ballroom, Set Designer and Fabricator, NY, NY
Occupy Wall Street Puppetry Brigade, Occupy the Empty Space: Princess and the Pea, Fabricated Toy Puppet Theater Piece, NY, NY
Great Small Works, Your Hammentashen Are Killing Me, Puppeteer, Brooklyn, NY
Xango Shola, Galactic Butterfly Spring Fashion Show, Fabricated headdress and giant puppet, Brooklyn, NY
Mad Sharp Productions, Workshop Coordinator and Instructor, Brooklyn, NY

2011:
Electric Warehouse Circus New Year’s Eve Event, Unicorn Meat, Giant sculpture fabrication, Brooklyn, NY
NYC Gratitude Event, Tea Lounge Artistic Director for Beyond Kombucha Tea Company, Brooklyn, NY
Brightwater Educational Sculpture Park, Artist Assistant to Buster Simpson, Woodinville, WA
Iluminata Festival, Puppeteer and Performer, Seattle, WA
Arts Aglow Festival, Puppeteer and Performer, Burien, WA
One 9/11 Event at Seattle Center Memorial Stadium, Contributing Artist, Seattle, WA
In Arts Northwest, Workshop Wednesdays: Mask Making and Theater Art Workshops, Instructor, Seattle, WA
Giant Puppets Save the World, Founder and Director, Seattle, WA, and NY, NY
Nature Consortium’s Arts in Nature Festival, Artist and Puppeteer, Seattle, WA
Afro Latino Music Festival, Giant Puppets Save the World Performer, Seattle, WA
Solar Festival, Shoreline Solar Project, Community Building Workshop and Presenter, Seattle, WA
Oregon Country Fair’s Ralph McCoy Memorial Children’s Theater, Actress and Singer, Eugene, OR
Fremont Arts Council, Studio Coordinator and Workshop Manager, Seattle, WA
Folk Life Festival, Children’s Commons, Fremont Arts Council Children’s Booth Art Instructor, Seattle, WA
Fremont Arts Council, Dave McKay Grant Recipient for Seattle Solstice Parade, Seattle, WA
Seattle Solstice Parade, Featured Artist, Seattle, WA
Fremont Arts Council’s Powerhouse Studio, Workshop Teacher, Seattle, WA
Artist Sarah Lovett, 619 Building, Giant Puppet “Dogody” Installation, Artist Assistant, Seattle, WA
Procession of the Species Parade Art Studio, Instructor on Giant Puppet Technique, Olympia, WA

2010:
Wilco Festival with Bread and Puppet Theater, Puppeteer, North Adams, MA
Cheese Opera with the Bread and Puppet Theater, Choir Performer, Montpelier, VT
Bread and Puppet Theater, Apprentice, Glover, VT
2009:
Clay Arts Studio, Studio Assistant, Brooklyn, NY
Mountain Lake PBS, On-Air Talent, Montreal, QC
Mountain Lake PBS Juried Arts Auction, Exhibiting Artist, Burlington, VT
“Natives of our Land”, Re-enactment Documentary on the French & Indian War, Actress, Fort Ticonderoga, NY
North Country Cultural Council for the Arts, Clay Instructor, Plattsburgh, NY
Mountain Lake PBS, “Marketing Yourself as an Artist”, Presenter, Plattsburgh, NY
2008:
Dead Reckoning, Champlain in America, PBS Documentary, Events Coordinator, Plattsburgh, NY
The Forgotten War: The Struggle for North America, PBS Documentary, Events Coordinator, Plattsburgh, NY
2007:
Rockland Community College, Clay Art Studio, Studio Assistant, Suffern, NY
2005:
Ceramic Tile Work, SUNY Plattsburgh Feinberg Library, Exhibiting Artist, Plattsburgh, NY
2004:
Empty Bowls Dinner, Contributing Artist, Plattsburgh, NY
Farmer’s Market Clay Crafter, Teaching Clay Artist, Adirondacks, NY
2003:
Girl Scout Camp, Clay Art Teacher, Thetford, VT
2002:
Plattsburgh State University Art Department, Clay Mixer, Plattsburgh, NY

Toni is a triathlete, gardener, ukulele player, photographer, and culinary extrovert.

SKILLS

Sewing, Ceramics, Pottery, Painting, Sculpture, Papier Mache, Drawing, Set Design, Immersive Theater, Videography and Photography, Puppetry, Theater Arts, Early Childhood Education, Art Education, Contemporary Art, Silk Painting, Ceramics

Active Listening, Nonviolent Communication, Creativity, Problem-solving, Teamwork, Flexibility, Organization, Critical Thinking, Emotional Intelligence, Attention to Detail, Integrity, Empathy, Dependability, Adaptability, Open-mindedness, Time Management, Leadership

All times