Ken Beagley, who has died aged 71, was a puppeteer and educator. He was an excellent maker who always encouraged and involved others. He and I were friends and collaborators for nearly 40 years.
Born in Woking, Surrey, to Beryl (nee Mair), a housekeeper, and Frederick Beagley, a draughtsman, Ken attended Woking grammar school. He studied sculpture at Kingston Polytechnic (1971-74), where he met the artist Don Pavey with whom he later worked on Art Arena games – a team game format designed to develop social interaction and group skills by creating large works of art. At Kingston, Ken also discovered an abiding fascination with the labyrinth and he met Jill Betambeau, whom he married in 1975.
