Artist, teacher and self-professed “maker of things,” Candice credits her father with sparking her interest in puppetry (He would often tell her stories using various character voices, many of which were spot-on Sesame Street® impressions).

She received her BA from Muskingum University, where she majored in Art (because she loves it) and Business (so she could eat). Candice is a founding member of Big Fish Artists' Worshiping Community and the Artistic Director of Fish Belly, their puppet ministry.  In 2010, she developed the puppetry program with the Tuscarawas County Center for the Arts. Candice is very active in community theatre, with a favorite role being the puppeteer for Audrey II in “Little Shop of Horrors” with The Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County in 2012 and directing the experimental show "Shuddersome: Tales of Poe" in the fall of 2016.

“In the Works”

Candice is currently writing a book on integrating puppetry into public schools as a way to unite art with theatre, language arts and social studies. She has written two original plays performed by Fish Belly: “RUTH!” and “Jonah," as well as adaptions of Poe classics, "The Black Cat" and "Cask of Amontillado." Her puppet designs and various pieces of fine art have been commissioned throughout the country at local theaters, the First Ladies Museum in Canton, OH, and the Emmy Award-winning web series Akron After Hours.