Marty Allen : Writer. Artist. Maker.
Creative Producer. Brooklyn, NY
martyallen(at)gmail(dot)com
EMPLOYMENT
•Martystuff, Founder, Producer, Creative Director: Solely responsible for creation, marketing, and sales of thousands of works of art (primarily Sock Puppet Portraits) in public venues and online. The Martystuff brand also represents an umbrella for all of my creative content and services: workshops, creative consultancy, freelance writing, and freelance commissions, and is inclusive of the sub-brand and business, Sock Puppet City, 2003-present
•Trusty Sidekick, Writer, Creative lead, Performance Mentor, Creative Producer: Outreach & Communications: As Creative Producer for Outreach and Communications, I worked to develop communications strategies to support both the organization as a whole as well as individual productions. I offered support with copy and print, creative direction, and communications inclusive of print, online, and social media strategies. Additionally I created supplemental communications materials including press releases and packets and oversaw these communications. I also oversaw aspects of grant-writing and fundraising. As a Creative Lead and writer I wrote and co-created an outdoor immersive piece for neuro-diverse audiences, “A Perfect Party for Trees.” I also worked as mentor for “Planetary Census” and “Frankenstein, Unearthed” working with families to develop an online in-quarantine live Zoom theatrical happening, June, 2020 - March 2024
•Jason Vandewalle/SpaceJayce, Creative Producer, Consultant, Designer: Ongoing collaborative work creating and developing both original and established IP for digital, print, interactive, and animated properties, 2017-present
•Monsterface Industries, Co-founder, Producer, Performer, Creative Director: Monsterface Industries creates music, live interactive events, animations, pitches, and creative experiences, and as Creative Director I guide the development, implementation, and marketing of all of its projects, 2005-present
•Goomba Stomp, Freelance Writer: Responsible for pitching and writing feature-length stories, short features, reviews, and opinion pieces on contemporary video games and tv, April 2017- March 2023
•Megacat Studios, Freelance Creative Producer: Assisted in the creation of an original IP for the Tasty web site; assisted with gameplay, design, and workflow, 2020-2021
•Playdate Digital/Hasbro, Creative Consultant: Assisted in developing concepts for Monopoly Jr. and other titles for mobile platforms, 2019-2022
•Free to Be Under Three, Lead Teacher, Arts Coordinator: Instructor in innovative program for infants and toddlers dedicated to nurturing creativity, language, and development, July 2015 - June 2021
•Nickelodeon, Creative Consultant: Assisted with design and creative conceptualization of award-winning Spongebob's Game Frenzy, July-August 2014
•Multicultural Arts Center, Communications Director, Youth Arts Coordinator, Production Consultant: Coordinated design, community outreach, press outreach, event production, artist management of full productions, small events, youth workshops, and day-to-day of nationally-renowned non-profit gallery and performance space, 2002-2006
RECENT PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Trusty Sidekick’s A Perfect Party for Trees featured at NY Puppetry Fest at Autism Nature Trail, 2023
Crankies Take New York, new original puppet crankie commissioned for festival premiere, 2023
New Book ‘50 Knots for Every Adveture’ is published internationally, 2023
Adventure Pizza featured in La Mama’s Puppet Slam, 2023
“Song Never Stop Believing in Santa Claus” featured in Michael Showalter’s film, “Spoiler Alert”, 2022
Commissioned by Wood Hole Oceanographic Institute for creation of original sock puppet, 2022
Perfect Pary for Trees featured in New York Times, 2022
”Sock Puppet Portraits” featured as part of Center for Puppetry Arts gift shop collection, 2022
”Return of the Sock Puppet Portraits” Kickstarter, Fully crowd-funded a 13K reboot of Marty’s Sock Puppet Portraits, September, 2021
”Adventure Pizza” work-in-progress featured as Artists-in-residence with Object Movement Festival, November, 2020
PUBLISHED BOOKS
50 Knots for Every Adventure, Simon & Schuster, March 2023
Retro Games, Dog N'Bone Books/Simon & Shuster, London/US, November 2018
Emojis: The Secret Behind the Smile, Dog 'N Bone Books, US/London, November 2015
50 Knots You Need To Know, CICO Books, US/London, March 2015
Build Your Own Fingerboard Skatepark, (Author and Illustrator), Dog 'N' Bone, US/London, 2014
Sock Puppet Madness, (Author and Illustrator), CICO Books, US/London, 2013
EDUCATION
Massachusetts College of Art, Studio for Inter-related Media, BFA,Graduate with Honors and Departmental Distinction, 1996-2000
SELECTED VENDORS OF SOCK PUPPET CITY
Leroy's Place, Brooklyn and New Orleans
Awesome, Brooklyn
Brooklyn Artery
East Village Vintage Collective, Manhattan
Center for Puppetry Arts, Georgia
Ridgway Office Supply and Services, Colorado
SELECTED PUBLIC ART SALES VENUE
Makers Show, Art vendor, youth workshops, 2018-2023
FAD Market, CityPoint Market, Art vendor, 2017-2022
Puppet Playlist, Puppet Sales at Selected Performances, 2016-2019
Artist’s & Fleas Market, Art vendor, 2011-2012 ;2018-2019
Shwick Holiday Market, Art vendor, 2016
Brooklyn Bazaar, featured art vendor, 2016
Emerson Monthly Market, Featured and founding vendor, 2015-2016
Henson Foundation’s “Puppets on Film” Series, Puppets and books featured for sale, 2013-2014
Brooklyn Night Bazaar, Art vendor, 2014
Fab.com, Featured in online sale, January 2013
Union Square Holiday Market, Featured art vendor, 2010-2013
Wonder Fair, Featured artwork for sale, 2012-2018
Brooklyn Flea, Art vendor, 2011
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS and WORKSHOPS
New England Conservatory, featured puppet artist, 2023
Makers Show, featured puppet-making workshop, 2022
Recess with Punkin Futz Podcast, featured Guest, “Build a Citizen of Sock Puppet City”, 2021
PowerUpPodcast, featured Guest, 2021
Amazing Things Arts Center, guest artist, ‘process’, 2020
Leroy’s Place, puppet workshop, sales and demonstration and window display design, 2019
Rhode Island 401 Film Fest, cartoon short "Vampire Boy" Official Selection, 2016
AS220, Selected artist-in-residence including puppetry workshop, 2016
Maker Faire, puppet workshop and lecture, 2014
Greenlight Bookstore, puppet workshop and author's reading, 2014
SUNY Purchase, featured presenting artist and performer, 2013
Book Release Party at Brooklyn’s Gutter, live performance and puppetry workshop, 2013
Boomtown Festival, Multicultural Arts in Cambridge, puppet workshop, 2012
SELECTED PERFORMANCES
Mermaid Unicorn Mountain, featured performer at Leroy’s Place, 2022
Puppet Playlist, Featured performer and vendor, 2016, 2018-2019
Happy Birthday, James Kochalka, featured performer, New Hampshire, 2018
Way Station, Brooklyn, “RISE of the LAVA MEN” premiere performance, November 2014
Littlefield, Brooklyn, support act for MC Frontalot, 2013
Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, support act for Harry and the Potters, 2012
Webster Hall, Manhattan, support act for Peelander Z, 2011
Nerdapalooza, Florida, featured festival act, 2009
Coney Island Museum, Brooklyn, featured guest artist, 2009
Bowery Ballroom, Manhattan, nationally touring support act for Harry and the Potters, 2008
Granada Theater, Texas, nationally touring support act for Harry and the Potters, 2008
Hard Rock Cafe, Manhattan, featured guest artist, 2008
The Tank, Manhattan, premiere of “Mashed Potato VS Vampire,” 2008
First Night Boston, featured guest artist, 2008
Unlimited Enthusiasm Tour, multimedia tour design, promotion, and execution for six-week national tour, United States and Canada, 2008
Potterface Tour, trans-disciplinary tour designed in collaboration with Boston Phoenix and Harry and the Potters, featuring daily song and video journals, United States, 2007
Cambridge River Festival, featured guest artist, 2006
Boston Children’s Museum, featured guest artist, 2006
EXHIBITIONS
Leroy’s Place, solo exhibition: “Greetings from Sock Puppet City,” 2022
a space gallery, Manhattanm “Diamonds, Razors, and Champagne”, group show, 2021
Hi Fi, Manhattan, solo exhibition, 2015
Emerson, Brooklyn, solo exhibition, 2014
I Made An Art, Red Hook, group show, 2011
Sputnik, Brooklyn, solo exhibition, 2009
The Tank, solo exhibition and perfeormance, Manhattan, 2009
Jameson & Thompson, solo exhibition, Boston, 2006
SELECTED RECORDED WORKS
”Sock Puppet” as Martysongs, 2022
”Never Stop Believing In Santa Claus” as Uncle Monsterface with Jocelyn Mackenzie, Song by Stan Satlin, 2021
”Be Nice to Your Frens,”as Martysongs, 2020
“Rise of the Lava Men,” as Uncle Monsterface, 2014
“Jokey Jingles,”as Uncle Monsterface, 2012
“This Is An Adventure,”as Uncle Monsterface, 2008
“Nintendode,”as Uncle Monsterface, 2007
“Letter Green (I Love You),”as Uncle Monsterface, 2006
SELECTED COMMISSIONS
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Sock Puppet Commision and consultation, 2023
Made Visible Foundation, Sock Puppet Commission and Consultation, 2023
Hubbington’s, Sock Puppets commissioned for TV spots, 2022
Family Feud for Zoom, puppet-ed version of TV show created for All Stars Project, 2021
Theme for “Talking with All Stars”, theme song by Uncle Monsterface commissioned for web-based program, 2021
Google, private internal commission of sock puppet unicorn for team-building, 2020
Spark and Echo Arts, commisioned Sock Puppet Portrait of The Prophet Amos, 2018
PS 261 Grade School, Visiting artist, 2018
Pixel Art Studio, commissioned music, 2015
Parents Magazine, commissioned sock puppet and lesson, 2014
Apt C3, commissioned puppets of comedy troupe for online sketch comedy, 2013
Zoc Doc, commissioned puppet photography, 2012
Wonder Fair, commissioned series of “Noteworthy Kansans,” 2011
Math the Band, commissioned puppets of band for music video, 2011
WGBH, commissioned puppets of three noteworthy scientists for web advertising, 2011
Wizard Rock EP of the Month Club, commissioned art direction for series of 12 albums, 2008
SELECTED COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
Leroy’s Place’s ‘Monster Story Time’, Original puppet song and video for ‘Food Is Good’, 2020
Jocelyn Mackenzie's Video for 'Kids', Co-producer, assisted with shoot concept and production, 2017
Kickstarter, successfully funded Uncle Monsterface’s 'RISE of the LAVA MEN’ production, 2013
Midnight Buffet’s Roulette Chronicles, lead voice talent for radio drama podcast, 2013
Kickstarter, successfully funded production of Marty’s Series 4 Sock Puppet Portraits, 2012
Jaws: The Musical, lead performer as ‘Quint’ in acclaimed off-off-Broadway performance, 2011-2012
Kingdom Rebels, voice talent, music composition, and writing assistance for award-winning animated shorts, 2006-2007
Top Shelf TV, co-producer, co-writer, and actor on award winning cable access variety and sketch show, 2002-2003
Eventworks, Mass Art, Executive Producer of year-long award-winning multimedia arts festival, 1999
SELECTED PRESS
GeekDad, feature highlighting Halloween premiere of "Vampire Boy," 2016
The Rhode Show, featured guest on Rhode Island morning TV show promoting puppetry workshop, 2016
GeekDad, ‘Rise of the Lava Men’ selected as a “Nerdy Dozen” album of the year, 2014
ABC NYC News, featured as profile of a Union Square Holiday Market artist, Dec 2013
Wired.com, positive review of “Sock Puppet Madness,” 2013
Muppets’ Peter Linz (Walter the Muppet), Professional associate with favorable quotes for ‘Sock Puppet Madness,’ 2013
Mindhut, slideshow profile of Marty’s Sock Puppet Portraits, 2012
Crain’s Business Journal, Gotham Gig’s featured artist profile, 2011
Time Out New York, slide show selection previewing Sputnik art show of Sock Puppet Portraits, 2009
Blendr Magazine, Uncle Monsterface profiled as part of Nerdapalooza Festival, 2009
Destructoid, Uncle Monsterface featured for “Nintendode,” 2007
“Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks,” (Ethan Gilsdorf, Lyon’s Press), Uncle Monsterface featured in major book about geek culture, 2009
Boston Phoenix, “Blood, Felt, and Rock and Roll” collaborative video and song-a-day blog with Harry and the Potters Potterface Tour, 2006
Boston Globe, Uncle Monsterface profiled as part of Cambridge River Festival, 2006
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Leroy’s Place, long-standing creative collaborator and art vendor
Trusty Sidekick, Frequent collaborator
Comedy Central, Established relationship pitching original content
Nickelodeon, Established relationship creating and pitching original content
Jim Henson Foundation, Regular contributions of puppets and books to annual film festival
Soundtrack Studios, Established presence working with staff on audio post-production
Wonderfair, Regular contributor to in-house art sales and long-standing creative collaboration
Monkeyhouse Dance, Long-standing creative relationship
Wired.com/GeekDad, Regular coverage of professional accomplishments
Maker Faire, Established relationship as contributor
Harry & The Potters, long-standing creative collaborators
Harry Potter Alliance, Long-standing professional association
AREAS of EXPERTISE
Creative Production and Direction
Writing and Communication
Puppet Building and Puppetry
Project Management
Event Management
Artist Management
Graphic Design and Professional Printing
Web design, specializing in Squarespace implementation and integration
Illustration (stylized)
Video Editing (Final Cut)
Performance
Voice Talent
Musical Composition
Small Business Managament
Marketing and Branding
Youth Arts Development
Pre-school and pre-pre school classroom teaching
Neurodivergent classroom work
Pre-school and pre-pre school curriculum development (Steiner/Waldorf-based)
General Curriculum Development
COMPUTER SKILLS
Highly proficient with: Photoshop, Premiere, Final Cut, Final Draft, Garage Band, Logic, Reaper, (other DAWs), Squarespace.
Some experience with: After Effects,Illustrator, InDesign, Wordpress
I’m highly adaptive with most software platforms in the design and editing fields.
References available upon request