The Puppeteer: A profile of Michael Montenegro

Michael Montenegro is driven to put the products of his imagination into tangible, active forms. After he builds them—often in life-size form, with a rag-tag collage of materials—he becomes them, lives inside them, then delivers them to us with a zany vigor.

"The Puppeteer" written by Lori Rotenberk, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence: https://craftsmanship.net/the-puppeteer/

Written by LORI ROTENBERK
Introduction by CHRIS EGUSA
Narrated by GÖRAN NORQUIST
Produced by CHRIS EGUSA
Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS

You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising: https://craftsmanship.net/

More about the Craftsmanship Initiative, publisher of Craftsmanship Magazine: The Craftsmanship Initiative was founded, in 2015, to reclaim craftsmanship’s principles of excellence, beauty, and durability as a pathway to a more sustainable world. The flagship venture of the initiative (which operates as a non-profit) is our multimedia digital magazine, Craftsmanship, which offers most features free of charge, and free of ads. The magazine includes podcasts, films, photo galleries, and richly illustrated stories of artisans and innovators whose work informs our quest: to create a world built to last. Throughout history, works of craftsmanship have always been defined by precision, integrity of purpose, and material economy. Today, those principles matter more than ever as we struggle with a consumer culture built around throw-away products and the stresses this has put on our environment and our local businesses. While most of us notice fine craftsmanship in acclaimed works such as a Stradivarius violin or a famous temple or mosque, craftsmanship’s timeless principles can, in fact, be found almost anywhere. They can be seen in disappearing traditional arts, and in efforts to preserve them; in manufacturing innovations that think about long-term needs instead of short-term profits; and in sustainably produced food, clothing, and other goods, the best of which are often found—used, and well-worn—at a local flea market.