Kassity Allison's marionette shop in the basement of the Reed Opera House is more than just a gallery for her work, it's a window into her dreams.

"Most of my creations come to me fully formed in my dreams," she said.

If the work is any indication, Allison's dreams are broadcast in high-definition, polarized 3-D. Allison specializes in sculpted artist bears - which combine fabric and polymer clay - and marionettes, both small-scale and life-size.

She calls them bears, but mythical creatures is probably a more apt description. Some, like Zandermis, indeed resemble descendants of the ursidae family. Others, like Bona Dea, are more goat-like with cloven feet, but large snouts that differ from their real life counterparts. The style of Jim Henson's Labyrinth and Dark Crystal characters are reasonable comparisons.

"When someone comes into the shop and their eyes light up followed by a big smile, I know I've done my job," said Allison.

The Allison Artiste Studio Gallery and Marionette Theater, which opened in April in the basement of the Reed Opera House, is the latest venture for the lifetime artist. She started young, sitting beside her father at his workbench, where he fashioned pressed copper art and carved marionettes.

Allison herself was soon in high demand as a costumer and backdrop artist within the Canadian Yukon community where she grew up.

"Art was the thing I did. Everything from painting to costuming to carving and sketching," she said. "I was fortunate to have supportive teachers."

She turned to teddy bears when a friend requested some for a show; 30 were needed and there were only two months before the curtain rose. Allison turned out 35 and hasn't looked back since - only expanded her playground.

Allison describes the doll-making world as "hugely competitive," but she's got credentials that few in the world can claim. In 2008, she won the Doll of the Year Award for Wisakecah. Wisakecah, a spritelike old man, is a mixed media sculpture Allison modeled after an old man in a wheelchair she spotted at the Country Fair in Eugene. The award recognizes artistry and achievement in doll-making, Allison won for best one-of-a-kind doll.

"To win and see my name alongside people I've admired for years - I was very honored," she said.

She hopes to garner similar honors in the world of marionette making. She already seems to be ahead of the curve. She was recently asked to participate in the upcoming Ronn Lucas show at the Elsinore Theatre, Oct. 10. Lucas is a world-reknowned ventriloquist.

In crafting the marionettes found in her gallery, Allison employs many of the techniques she learned at her father's knee. However, like her artisan bears, the dolls themselves are very much part of the creative process.

"I feel like most of my creations tell me what they want to be, but my most recent marionette has taken forever to finish," she said.

After completing the head sculpt, he hung in her shop for several weeks before she finally pulled out fabric to clothe him. He ended up in an outfit derived from Spanish influences.

Allison's mother, who has named all of her creations to this point, has had equal difficulty in christening him.

"He's just not an information-giver," she said.

In addition to the Gallery, Allison schedules private shows for birthday parties and other events. She also accepts commissioned work for both small-scale and life-size creations. To see more of her work, visit www.creationsofmysticism.com.