PLANTATION – Story and Myth founder Kristie Stephenson will create an eight-foot chalk drawing with a Caribbean folklore theme to be gifted to Island SPACE Caribbean Museum. The jewelry designer and storyteller will create the original artwork on Friday, October 21 on the museum’s patio, then present it during their Malloween and Caribbean Folktales Night on Saturday, October 29.
Power of Folklore and Myth
Jamaican Kristie Stephenson is a maker on a mission, spreading magic and wonder throughout Jamaica and the world. A strong believer in the metaphoric power of cultural stories passed down through generations, Stephenson often illustrates folklore and ancient mythology, connecting her work with concepts of self empowerment, inner strength and divine protection.
Stephenson infuses the power of folklore and myth both in her chalk drawings and the island-inspired beaded protection jewelry her company, Story and Myth, creates. Her materials are harvested by local farmers and assembled by a small community of artisans, some of whom have physical disabilities.
Stephenson’s passion for drawing reemerged during the pandemic when she began sketching on the walls of her home in chalk. While creating her masterworks, nothing is prepared, and everything happens in the moment. Stephenson video records each experience on her cell phone and later adds voice over.
A Story and Myth drawing of Junkanoo
Permanent Home at Island SPACE
While her drawings are usually temporary and erased to start fresh each time, this drawing will have a permanent home at Island SPACE.
“It means a lot, as what started as drawings in my living room will now be viewed in a Caribbean museum,” Stephenson reflected. “I started telling these stories as a form of connection and comfort, during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, on my living room walls. These stories have been told for generations. I’m so honored to be able to share them in such a special place.”
