When our friends at the Office of Innovation first reached out about hosting something for Henson Day, Academy teammates Christina Hnatov and Nick Ocasio began reflecting on the possibilities. The connection between the work the Academy engages in and Jim and Jane Henson’s legacy quickly became clear: creativity, collaboration, innovation, and design are all values the Academy champions, and they’re also at the heart of Henson’s enduring characters. We were ready to dig in as a team and design a way to celebrate the occasion. How might we celebrate Jim Henson’s birthday while engaging people across campus in exploring their own creative capabilities…. Academy style 😎?
From there, the brainstorming took off: “What if we program a series of workshops that build up to a live puppet show?” “What if we incorporate the heat press machine to make vinyl, Henson-inspired puppet designs, and turn them into custom patches?” The possibilities of experimenting with these ideas excited Christina and Nick, and the team was energized by the chance to try out new tools, collaborate, and honor Henson’s playful spirit.
On September 24, what would have been Henson's 89th birthday, the Loft transformed into a festive, hands-on makerspace where participants could drop in for morning or afternoon sessions. Tables filled with supplies for button-making, patch-pressing, and creature-creating invited everyone to play, imagine, and make something entirely their own. No experience was required, just curiosity and a willingness to try.
Even if you weren’t able to make it to Henson Day in The Loft, take a quick break to explore your creative capabilities, along with a couple of friends, by making an exquisite monster!