The Griefling is a character I conceptualized during the pandemic; a strange little creature/spirit that lives alone in its cozy home, stirring a mysterious cauldron day in and day out. It answers the essential question, "where does sadness go?". When someone's sadness has healthily run its course, and the feeler has no use for it anymore, the Griefling comes to collect it and adds it to his ever-bubbling pot, delighting in giving the sadness a use.
The puppet itself is simple: a loose fabric body, with twisted fabric arms, and a head and hands made of foam core. The head is moved by the fingers within the body; one had is stitched to the body, while the other is operated with a rod.
Finding a Home
The Griefling's home is constructed mostly from foam core; I was inspired by a gothic sensibility of fantasy, as well as apartments I wish that I myself could inhabit. The project is still in process.