Paula Gunn Allen
-
Anthony Bourdain: Storyteller? by Tricia Phillips
As I sit at home on my day off wondering what I could possibly blog on related to storytelling, I procrastinate by partaking in the art, for lack of seriously better words, of "Netflixing." I watch episode after episode of anything with Anthony Bourdain. “Parts Unknown” or “No Reservations” – either will do. That’s when…
-
Hansel and Gretel: What can we learn? by George Lopercio
Because the ending is so problematic, I find it very difficult to internalize the "lesson” of Hansel and Gretel. Is it simply telling us that we should not trust anyone, not even those we are told by society we should trust the most? Is there a lesson about gluttony? About the power of ingenuity over…
-
“Pink” by Gail Kimzin
Last month, I visited my son in New York City. He had just moved into the first floor of a brownstone and for the first time in three years he had a backyard. Imagine, green in the asphalt jungle. In his excitement, he started to make it his own by clipping and reshaping the existing greenery. Lo and…
-
Vessels of Story by Kathy Eastman
Ancient ceramics always make me think of stories and wonder what tales were told long long ago. This exquisite cup was made by an artesian in the Wari Culture sometime between 500 – 1000 AD. The culture lived in what we now think of as Peru. The Wari had a very distinctive style of architecture,…
-
Story on Pause By Tricia Phillips
It has taken me awhile to get motivated for this class. It’s not the class. It’s me. I have been going through personal change and growth. There have been changes that I have wanted to make for awhile. I have just begun to take action to move forward in my life. While taking action I…
-
A Ragtag Group of Misfits by James Ashcroft
In the reading for this week, I was intrigued by the parallels that were drawn towards the end of chapter four in Why Fairy Tales Stick by Jack Zipes. It was fun to see that he spent so much time on the similarities between the ancient legend of Mulan, the modern retelling of the story…
-
What Makes a Personal Story Worth Telling? by Rosanna Pope Fierros
What makes a Personal Story worth telling? This is question I have heard asked in our Personal Storytelling class on Thursdays, taught by Liz Warren, more than one time and from more than one person. As a class we ponder the question with answers that sound something like, “If you feel a connection to the…
-
Hansel and Gretel: Forgiveness for the Father? by George Lopercio
If you are reading this blog, then you are probably familiar with the story of Hansel and Gretel. Do you remember how it ends? While putting together my presentation, I asked many of the people in my life…
-
The Meaning of Story in a World filled with Loneliness by Chrissy Dart
I sat down with my cup of coffee this morning and read an article in the current Smithsonian magazine about the Chinese artist Ai WeiWei, who currently cannot leave China and is under constant surveillance. He recalls an incident in his life which inspires his latest artistic endeavor. Ai recounts that his father was a…
-
Little Red Riding Hood: A Powerful Meme by Gail Kimzin
Once upon a time in the late 1600’s, there lived a rich French fille that was seduced and devoured by a wolf. She had no chance of surviving or saving her soul. A hundred or so years later, a very sweet and obedient German mädchen was tricked by a wolf but was saved by a…
-
Being Sally Borg – by Sally Borg
Spending our evening class with Donald Davis last Thursday, after hearing him tell stories Wednesday night, was a very special occasion for me. Donald is one of the first professional storytellers I ever heard and I’ve always loved his stories. It was such a great learning experience, asking him how he does things, and then…
-
There Be Magic in Those Red Rocks by Marian Giannatti
Sedona is a magical place. Its breathtaking beauty and artistic expression are evident at every turn. On September 20, I attended the Celtic Harvest Festival as a storyteller – my first outing as a teller that didn't involve a classroom, school activity or assignment. The festival was filled with Celtic fun: from bagpipes to Irish…