Miel-Margarita Paredes (born in Suva, Fiji), specializes in metal raising and forming, fabrication, chasing & repousse, enameling, mechanical toys and animal imagery, as well as a stop-motion puppet skeleton builder known for Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022), ParaNorman (2012) and The Boxtrolls (2014).
Paredes studied metalsmithing at California College of Art and Craft in Oakland (BFA) and the University of Wisconsin in Madison (MFA). Their metal work incorporates the animal figure and traditional ornamental devices into small-scale sculpture and mechanical toys, interpreting the ways in which humans manipulate our environment to suit our needs; deconstructing and reconstructing both inanimate and animate objects.
As an armaturist, Paredes fabricates steel ball and socket armatures for stop motion animatable puppets. They have fabricated head mechanics, body armatures and puppet costume accessories for In The Know on Peacock and built armatures, costumes and puppet accessories for The Tiny Chef Show Season 2 on Nickelodeon.
Paredes lives with their husband, two children, two cats, six fish and is growing a wildflower garden outside their home studio window in Portland, Oregon.
Funded through the generous support of the Gene R. Cohen Charitable Foundation.