"What's on Your Mind?"
Chapter 1
(Ages 6 and up)
A Visual Storytelling Workshop
Facilitated by Kat Robertson - Visual and Performing Artist and Teacher, Published Poet and Writer
Saturday, July 31, 2021 | 11:00 am - 12:30pm
Thank you to all who participated in the first chapter of our
"What's on Your Mind?" Visual Storytelling Workshop Series.
Please see the outcome of the workshop in the photo gallery and video below.
Followed by the stories created from the two sections of this workshop.
The following poetic stories are a result of the word formulated during our "What's on Your Mind?" Visual Storytelling Workshop from Saturday, July 31, 2021.
The words underlined highlight the words selected by our participants.
Culminating Stories
Chapter 1 part 1 - 11:00 am - 12:30pm
Our chaotic lives needed to be healed; a transformation was called for and lonely aggravated attitudes gave way to understanding that shy feelings could give way to appreciation of happy ideas!
Culminating Stories
Chapter 1 part 2 - 1:00 Pm - 2:30pm
Gaining an understanding of the basics of cooperation we are now free to be reflective with appreciation for the resilience of compromise as we discover new hope for our future!
This workshop will be limited occupancy so to secure your seat you must register through the Eventbrite link below.
Seats are limited and we ask that if you do register that you please arrive on time for the workshop so that the space can be utilized.
PLEASE NOTE:
Masks and Social Distancing will be required!
Click here to register
for this Workshop
Experiences of the past 16 months have altered all of our lives in some manner. Last August we provided a platform for our children to express their thoughts through their art via our virtual art exhibit, “And the Children Speak.” Our children expressed themselves very clearly and creatively (see link: https://www.savannahafricanartmuseum.org/and-the-children-speak-exhibit). With our children returning to school in August, we thought this would be a good time to reach out to them again to see what’s on their minds about what they’ve experienced, how they view the changes good/challenging, how they view the future, etc.
With the well-received responses to both our 5/29 workshop and Juneteenth Celebration Visual Storytelling experience, we invited Kat Robertson back to conduct a Visual Storytelling Workshop for our children.
Each child will come up with a word for the theme and create a visual for it using paint, markers, fabric, magazine clippings, etc. They will then come up with a movement and a sound for their word. ‘Robertson will take each child’s word and compose a collective story which will be read with each child participating, by presenting their created image, their sound and movement
Storytelling Traditions in Africa
Storytelling is a universal art that exists in every culture to pass on cultural traditions, knowledge, history, and experiences from one generation to the next. Its presence in African culture goes back to ancient times and also plays a role in passing on codes of behavior and maintaining order in the community. This is accomplished by the gift of the storyteller who entertains, inspires, and engages their audience while educating them. In African story telling tradition, the storyteller does not merely share a story with their audience, they share an experience with them, making creative use of their vocal range, facial expressions, gestures, instrumentation, etc. The story may include songs, chants poems, prayers, etc. and the audience may be invited to chime in. Storytellers in West Africa are known as a Griots (pronounced “gree·ows”). The role of the Griot is traditionally a hereditary role passed from one generation to the next. Their role as the primary storyteller of their people was once also complimented with the role of serving as advisers to the king.
Meet our Facilitator!
Kat L. Robertson
Visual & Performing Artist | Teacher | Published Poet and Writer
Kat L. Robertson is a visual and performance artist as well as a published poet and writer with a broad range of experience in the artistic and communicative fields of theatre, film, and fashion.
Awarded a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Community and Educational Theatre from Emerson College in Boston, MA. Ms. Robertson spent many years devoted to various theatre outreach programs for at-risk youth living in Boston, Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey, and NYC. She created staged performances for children from age 7 through 18 for several Theatre Arts in-school and after-school programs. As an actor Robertson was in SAG/AFTRA with professional experience in stage and film. She is also in Local 798 as a professional make-up artist and teaches private make-up application workshops.
With over 20 years of communicative skills Robertson uses fine art, theatre art, make-up artistry, and visual poetry as her expressions of choice. Her art constantly redefines who she is. Every day she listens for her unique voice to enjoy the change in pitch, timbre, or volume. Robertson is both a work-in-progress and a progressive work. She creates from painting with watercolors and writing poetry to playing the Terceiro Surdo Samba drum, singing, performance art and SFX make-up. Robertson is the seer as much as she who is seen; her existence is as much inspired as it is created. This begins the yin and yang of Kat L Robertson and who she is before God and the world.
See links below to learn more about Kat L. Robertson and check out her creations:
Light of Truth: A Love Journey – Poetry and Watercolors