The Healing Tree - A Visual Storytelling Workshop

Savannah African Art Museumis a non profit institution that introduces all audiences to African art and culture. Our mission is to provide engaging experiences that educate and start conversations about the power, diversity, and spirituality of African art.

Savannah African Art Museum

​A Visual Storytelling Workshop
Facilitated by Kat Robertson - Visual and Performing Artist and Teacher, Published Poet and Writer

The global pandemic’s massive impact on the quality of our lives and all the events worldwide over this past year has revealed an especially important message. We as a nation and our planet as a whole need wellness; restoration and healing.                                                                                                               - Kat RobertsonStorytelling 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.The museum and Robertson ask participants the following:“If words were a healing balm, which words would we bring to heal and re-unite us with each other and the world around us?”Reflecting upon this question, each participant will select a word, a color, a movement, and a sound that best represents this “balm” creating a visual montage.By combining various media such as colored construction paper, fabric, paints, or photos from magazines, each participant will select their “word” of healing. Everyone will assign a sound and a physical movement to their word. When completed, each mosaic is in turn a piece of a unique whole story, The Healing Tree.  With the visual words, sound, and movement combined, we see the complete visual story as an orchestrated presentation which will be videotaped.At the conclusion of the workshop each participant will leave with their individual piece of art reflecting their telling of The Healing Tree. There  will also be a link posted on the SAAM website to access the group’s visual presentation embodying the full richness of the Storytelling experience.This distinctive event will stimulate the imagination and encourage creativity while fostering a spirit of social consciousness, empathy, and unity. Participants are enriched and inspired to share this experience with family and friends!View our Workshop page on the Savannah African Art Museum Workshop<a href="https://www.savannahafricanartmuseum.org/the-healing-tree-workshop-2021/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.savannahafricanartmuseum.org/the-healing-tree-workshop-2021/</a>

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The Healing Tree - A Visual Storytelling Workshop

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The Healing Tree - A Visual Storytelling Workshop

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