Emerging from the golden mustard fields beyond the Folk School garden, a pole stands, colorful fabric delicately swaying, awaiting the revelry of celebration. In Jan Burger and Nyssa Collins’ class, clay and papier mache have been shaped by patient hands, diligently crafting wearable puppets for the annual Maypole Parade and Dance.   

On one workstation, the stark gaze of a sculpted raven peers over its beak, feathered sideburns framing its face. Its intense eyes were brought to life by Edy Aguilar, who is a third-generation piñata maker, taught by her mother, Elena, who was taught by her late father, Don Meli Rico.   

“I make piñatas to keep and honor my family’s tradition and to spread joy and creativity to others,” Aguilar said. 

Aguilar began her journey as a piñata maker as a child, growing up watching her mom make piñatas. After school, she would help her mother ruffle the papers, until eventually making her own piñata in middle school.  

“I’ve been creating, painting, or making something ever sense I was little. It’s just a thing that inspires me every single day. There’ll be times when I hit a slump and I can’t create something, and once I get back into it, it’s like I’m alive again,” Aguilar said. 

Aguilar currently lives in Athens, Alabama, and offers her services as a piñata master teacher through the Alabama State Council on the Arts Apprenticeship Program. Curious how she could extend the permeance of her work, Agular found interest in the “Puppets for May Day” class.  

“My anticipation for the class was to expand on how I make piñatas or possibly start doing puppets or something more everlasting, you could say,” Aguilar said. “So being here, I have received some really good ideas and have got to practice some of what I was wishing to learn.” 

Scattered across workstations, sculpted from paper, clay, and pigment, hollowed forms found shape with each delicate placement of glue-soaked parchment. Soon, critters and cryptids emerged from sculpted clay. From a towering, scaly dragon head to the wrinkled grimace of a carrot’s face; whimsical characters were born from creativity and instruction, ready for their debut.  

“I think it’s the area, but also just being around people who are so willing to learn. Everybody’s here for the wish to create. There is something very refreshing to be able to take a break from my day-to-day and be here, regrouping and touching into that creativeness with everybody else,” Aguilar said. 

At the end of the week, the Maypole Parade and Dance welcomed an energetic crowd to come together to celebrate spring. Adorned with puppets of seasonal spirits and animals, joined by Morris Dancers, families and community members, the ensemble processed from Festival Barn to the Maypole. Aguilar donned her raven puppet, watching as colorful ribbons cascaded from the Maypole. Costumed characters and para circled around in celebration, enjoying the music, dancing, and community all along the way.