Master puppeteer Hobey Ford's magical creations inspire children & adults alike. 

I saw one of his performances as a child here in Savannah. I remember the puppet was a blue whale, and he was dressed entirely in black with a black backdrop so you could only see the puppet swimming about with underwater and whale sounds. It was pure magic and I've never, ever forgotten it. He is a master of his craft and a true artist. So glad to stumble upon this upload.

Watching an artist at his craft and passion is pure joy !

Puppetry is one of the purest artforms.

Those elf puppets… man. The beginning of the video just awoke that part of me who’s always kinda dreamed about being a tiny person in a giant world… I need to just make a story or movie already. When I was a kid I use to love the movies about tiny people, and the trailer for “The Secret World of Arrietty” had always stuck with me because I WANTED that. I remember watching things like FernGully, or the Secret of NIMH, or even Arthur and being just absolutely in love. I even remember being disappointed with watching “Epic” as a kid because I’d built it up to high standards, which I find funny. Either way, don’t stop man, that’s just perfect.

Hobey, above all else is a humble, kind-hearted teacher! I was privileged to attend his workshop at The Peace Center in Greenville after he had visited our school. I used his ideas for the shadow puppets with the shower curtain puppet stage in my classroom for YEARS after. Students worked together in teams to write scripts and design puppets. I recorded their audio for their puppet plays. They performed to their recordings as a year-end puppet show for the entire fourth grade. WOW! What a powerful medium. Thank you, Hobey!

I am absolutely enchanted! This man's imaginative creativity is nothing less than magical! More than ever, we need to witness these kinds of life affirming and unique forms of art that make our spirits soar like his eagle puppet! Oh thank you so much for sharing your life's work. Its has truly made my heart so happy!

Absolutely captivating and genius. My grandfather was a puppeteer and made his own puppets. He used to give shows in a children’s hospital as his way of giving something back to society. He would get help setting up the puppet theatre and behind scenes help from my grandmother and my mum . It is an amazing ,beautiful , powerful and sometimes scary art .

Magical, at primary school many years ago, a new teacher arrived, he had brought puppets from around the world, we made glove puppets but he had stick puppets too. I was fascinated seeing how they worked, this is another level. I am 69, I would sit in the audience with a big smile on my face, thank you.

With him, Barnaby Dixon, and Brian Henson around, I have high hopes for the future of puppetry. Awesome stuff. The one book that I would recommend to any fan of puppets is a work of fiction (sci-fi) by Jack Vance titled EMPHYRIO. It's kind of relevant in our times.

Utterly enchanted soul he is, magical, whimsical, sensitive, child-like in the purest most wondrous ways. He world is made so much sweeter because he is in it!

Puppets are expression of his soul and emotions. Bravo...maestro

it is magical! i feel this is your vocation! Your fingers and hands are woven in this magic.

i don't know about hobey ford until i watched this. but i just thought him being so calm and gentle somewhat reflects with his art. simply amazing.

Puppets, marionettes, ventriloquism, you forget the strings and the person making a puppet talk they become so real with their own personalities in a way.

That’s beautiful. You are truly an extension of your friends.

This man is truly FREE!

That eagle is exquisite!! So lucky he spent time with the spectacular Jim Henson.

Hollywood has lost this and it looks better than cgi. If you can combine both intelligently you've got something amazing!

This rotten world need more of this yo heal!!! Im so greatful for your work Hobey!!! You are a blessed soul!!! 🙏 infinite blessings!!!

He reminds me of what art really is. Thank you Mr. puppeteer.

8 minutes and 31 seconds of soul relief

Love the eye fingers! Creeped me out when it turned into a spider.

You have a beautiful, kind soul. Continue having a wonderful life. You are changing lives, for the better.

This man has a gift! He is extremely creative and resourceful! And very detailed oriented! This is another form of art to memorize his audience!

What a beautiful soul!!! Oh how I would love to see you in person! Because of the love you show the masterpieces you create you bring so much more to the stories they tell!!! I have always had a love for puppeteering but was convinced that it was a childish thing to do and I needed to grow up. How sad that children's dreams have you taken away or squashed like that. Very nice to see someone that was able to live their dream! This video put a smile on my face and a warmth in my soul! Blessings to you and yours! Puppet on dear man, Puppet on!!!❤❤ ❤🥰🙋🏻‍♀️

Brilliant!!! ✨✨✨✨✨💛 Home schooling at its finest is using something that fascinates a child and coincidently that teaches many things. Making puppets has so many aspects to learn with, art, three dimensional thinking, engineering, carpentry, sewing, careful observation to capture the essence of what your is supposed to represent. Carl Akeley made life like dioramas with the animals in lifelike action with as accurate muscle structure as is possible. Look at the Elephant room in the NY Museum of Natural History. He was one of the first if not the first taxidermist to being life to these critters, and to bring a sense of caring for the wild animals so people would want to protect their habitats and regulate hunting… a hunter himself, he saw the devastation of trophy hunting snd worked to create National Parks in Africa. Hobay Ford bring a similar lifelike sense to his creatures that is equally as remarkable! Bravo to both.

Grew up to practical animation. It's a sort of trust built between the creator and the audience. A story they both tell together. Acknowledging the transfer of meaning and intention from the puppeteer to the puppet. One transfering life to the other and disappearing into the background--but after The End, somehow, both are in the limelight and both are as alive as the other.

For me as a puppeteer it's a big honor meet new puppeteers. That's amazing. Let the world see the magical power of puppetry art.

Hearing he's a local yet I've never heard of him until I got this random suggestion. Beautiful work I could get lost watching. This is a beautiful creation

The connection with your mother and your childhood are evident and moving, and you inspire me!

When I was a child during the school holidays, my mum took my sister and I to a puppet show in the Sydney regent theatre which is in Australia, although I don't think that theatre is there anymore. The show was water babies and it was magical, we really enjoyed it and can still feel the magic of it and yes the puppeteers just disappeared, it was wonderful thank you for this video. Cheers!

Awesome! He's like a mad scientist - but not an evil mad scientist, a good mad scientist.

I absolutely agree with him, he's overcome adversity to be here and still does by the sounds of it I've always loved puppeteers.

i really wanna join the puppeteering community, you guys seem so wholesome and puree

A brilliant person guided by dreams. So glad I found this video.

You are a true artist, sir. Your legacy will far outlast your grandfather's.

Chills for really real. Genius. Ben in Asheville in64-- I'd love to see this in person

He is amazing and the love he has for his puppets and his audience shone out so much

Love your work I do automata but I enjoyed this video. It's great to see the universe is vast in its imagination. Thanks

Good Lord! This is a whole other dimension of talent..simply amazing.

Protect this man at all cost. He is a national tresure.

I am so glad I came across this video - I've played my hands as an animal for years - the elephant form - was so cute with the eyeballs - now I want the eyeballs. This left a smile on my face.

You create life…the most beautiful gift. Thank you for this video.

My great grandson just took his first class with Hobey Ford and is GIDDY with excitement! I am so glad that he gets to be with a master that makes the world more fun with this superb skills and that Hobey is willing to share his passion. This was a very fun video and I found myself nodding in agreement all the way through.

Que afortunada son las personas que descubren cual es su pasión en esta vida....

Thank you for making my night joyful.

Another win for RU-vid algorithm. If I saw that first puppet running towards me I would probably run away

I wish to see your show ...it will be just beautifull !!

Puppeteer? I would just call him an artist. A damn good one!

You worked on The Dark Crystal?!??!??!??!! 😮😮😮 I bet it was AMAZING ❤

I've always loved the idea of fairies and elves. I could watch a whole show of them! An absolutely brilliant man. Such imagination! And technique. Loved it!

I was making a life size velociraptor costume and puppet when I was a kid. I showed my grandmother what I was doing and she called me a " Damn fool" I never pursued it again. Maybe I'll finish it now. Thanks for the video.

I NEVER KNEW A BEING SO PASSIONATE WITH HIS HAND WORK

This kind of art need to be promoted in order to help children are out of digital screen.

The Dark Crystal. One of my favorite movies.

Just divine .a GIFt from our Readeemer ..our Father in heaven 🙏

Literally breathtaking.

2:23 So beautiful to hear/see that he still enjoys it so much! (I had chills throughout the whole video)

What a oasis of rich imagination and unbound creativity! Unbelievable feeling of calm and enjoyment after endless exposure to daily grind of people trying to take advantage of other people... it feels like unexpectedly meeting an angel!

Woah , this guy is OUT there

extraordinary .. pure magic 🙏🏽 ❤ 🇨🇦 🕊. .. thanks for sharing

These are such wonderful puppets-thank you for sharing!

Это просто фантастика! Я в восторге)))

So beautiful! 😍 It's magical! Thank you.

OMG I looooove puppets. The first one is adorable.❤❤❤

A master of being a kid 🥰

Your eagle is magnificent!

Such an amazing and inspiring artist. Thank you for your expression!

What a gifted man! Loved that eagle, amazing.

Hope this inspires enough people to keep this art form alive!

How wonderful! Years ago I studied puppetry with Hobey Baker who had worked with Bill Baird but when I studied with him he was blind and would feel the sculpted marionettes.

👋🏻learned in a upholstery class to freeze foam and carve using a electric knife. The fairies pure genius!👍

What a totally fascinating man. Compulsive viewing. How talented! Wonderful video. Thank you for uploading.

I am so fascinated by your work. Magical. You certainly bring your sweet puppets to life.

Such a remarkable artist!

What an extraordinary talent! Sending lots of love and warm greetings from Missouri.

That is a beautifull human. Like him.

I love your job. congratulations

This is what we need to appreciate- the genius that comes from a human person, created by God, and creating, in turn, as part of their birthright. This, not AI, is what we need to embrace. The beauty and gift of the human mind and spirit, fully alive.

This is amazing! I have seen Warhorse on stage in London & the puppetry in that was off the scale. This is close!

pure magical genius

It’s so amazing , congratulations for show these exceptional people with exceptional jobs .

When he said he had a crush on the puppet my imagination ran rampant thinking what his doing behind closed doors 😮😂

Это чудо какое-то!!

I loved loved watching this! Thank you! 🎉🎉🎉

Я такого ещё не видел... Прекрасные куклы!!! Я в своей жизни сделал только двух кукол и ещё двум изготовил тела с конечностями по своим сказкам и задумывался зимними вечерами изготовить ещё... Вы меня подтолкнули на новый уровень!!! Спасибо за удивительную сказочную жизнь!!! И кукольник вы искусстный! Однозначно - подписка! Всех благ! Творческих успехов!!!😊

That was cool as hell with the eyes and his fingers 😂👏👏

You created that wonderful you,and brought what wasn’t to life

Very lovely.

I've gone down a Hobey rabbit hole in the last few days... mentioning Ann brings back so many memories, and then remembering tagging along when my sister took you to the Henson studio... I should get some sleep and see if I can find an email address for you tomorrow!

What an inspiration this man is. What an expressive talent man. My you continue to inspire people for many years to come

It is indeed nice to see there are good souls with creative minds

Master! !!! QUE SER MÁS MARAVILLOSOOOOOO!!!!!❤🌹🌄🙅🎼🎵💎

That eagle was amazing! 🥰 What a talented and clever artist!

So thrilled you were not squelched! I expect your ancestoral artists are toe dancing in the astral to see your artistry.

I love how it came to him in a dream-very cool indeed!

Thank you. The Lord Jesus has truly blessed you with a lovely gift. Mrs.🐝 Australia

This is such amazing work, such magical art, such a dose of beauty and hope! I’m so glad I saw this video!

Sir you are a treasure to our children and parents alike even an old man like me thankyou sir for showing me this its a real treat to me its a bravo bravo bravo i say

Love this!