Hi! Stay and Visit Awhile…
We've brought some “story dust” out of the Clubhouse to our Lounge! So now anyone stopping by can enjoy meeting our invited guests here to learn something new about storytelling.
You know that at the Kids' Storytelling Club, we help kids learn to create and tell stories. Well, one of the best ways to learn to be a storyteller is to listen to storytelling, and meet and learn from creative experts. So here in the Visitors' Lounge next to our Clubhouse, we occasionally may feature guests that you might enjoy learning about and learning from. There may be artists, authors, storytellers or others, with discussions, stories, art and crafts, and more. So come look around and see who's visiting us now in our Lounge, and what wisdom, ideas, inspiration, or other sparks of “story dust” our guests bring for you.
On our Front Porch you can learn more about the Club, or you can go in the Back Door to the Clubhouse to find help to turn your “story dust” into complete stories to tell.
Find More Storytelling:
You can find stories everywhere, in everyday situations or in formal programs. Listen at family gatherings, club meetings, religious or cultural events, library programs, and local festivals. To study how the pros tell stories, you can also watch or listen to storytelling recordings available online from professional storytellers. In our Clubhouse Activity Room, you'll find more ideas how to find or create opportunities to hear and tell stories. And in our Clubhouse Treasure Chest are helpful tips how to get ideas and learn skills from other storytellers.
Our Featured Guest
Bobbi Shupe
About The Artist:
Bobbi Shupe is a professional mixed media artist, who earned degrees from the Fort Lewis College in Durango and The Art Institute of Colorado in Denver. She created cards for Hallmark, and now owns her own design company, Bobbi Shupe Fine Art, where she creates fine art paintings, murals, children's book illustrations, greeting cards, masks, painted boxes, custom art painted furniture, and other fine arts and crafts. You can see her work displayed in juried art shows and art sales around the Denver area and beyond.
(Bobbi displaying her art at a Denver area show; photo provided by the artist)
Bobbi has helped us tell stories since the early days of Storycraft Publishing. She created fun illustrations for many of our print books for young storytellers, and for our quarterly periodical, Junior Storyteller. Although Junior Storyteller is out of print now, here at the Kids' Storytelling Club you'll continue to find her friendly dragons still guiding visitors through the club, as they have since 1996.
We enjoyed catching up with Bobbi to see what she's been doing recently. And we hope you enjoy learning a bit from her here in the Kids' Storytelling Club Visitors' Lounge.
A Few Words With Our Guest:
Hi, Bobbi! Welcome to our Visitors' Lounge! We are so happy to have your dragons scamper around our Club. There were dragons in the book Create Your Own Storytelling Stories, too. Why these dragons? How do you get your illustration ideas?
The little dragon was created a long time ago. I can't really remember why we decided on a dragon for the first book, Storytelling For The Fun Of It, but I liked the character and it's a fun, magical element to be repeated throughout the books.
My illustration ideas are influenced by the text supplied to me. That might come from the author, book designer or publisher.
And you also created unique art for “The Missing Peace Puzzle Piece” story featured in Storytelling Adventures and Junior Storyteller. That story is often retold and the art really helps audiences understand it. Can you briefly tell us of a few other favorite illustrations or works of art you've done that have had a lasting impact on people?
I think the most meaningful works of art I create are those done for charities or non-profits. I had a lot of fun creating a mural promoting reading. For a cat care charity I've painted cat sculptures, a mural in the clinic, and Flat Cats.
You are creative in so many ways. What are you planning to do next?
Currently I am concentrating on Fine Art work exhibiting in various galleries and shows.
You know the Kids' Storytelling Club is for creative kids age 9-14. If young storytellers are interested in creating art and becoming artists, what advice would you give?
Most importantly is to have fun. Although creativity is work, it's worth the effort and is very rewarding. Be prepared and open to change.
Thanks, Bobbi, for stopping by to visit us at the Kids' Storytelling Club, and helping us see how art can help tell a story. And thank you for providing lovely art that inspires us all to be creative.
A sample of Bobbi's recent artwork (images provided by the artist).
All images on this page are © copyright Bobbi Shupe; For permission to use or copy, please contact the artist. You can find Bobbi's art at Denver area art shows, or contact her directly at eppuffin@mac.com
And, look on our homepage to download The Peace Puzzle Junior Storyteller back-issue.
