One of my projects is the stories of Great Uncle George. George Henry Story to be exact, the man who painted Lincoln. I have been reading and researching his journals and accounts and parallel history to compile a vision of his life and work. A very important moment of that lifetime was when he sat with President Abraham Lincoln for three days sketching and taking notes prior to painting the portrait that now hangs in President Obama’s office.
Here is what I have produced since the hiatus began. A one hour performance of stories from Uncle George Henry Story’s autobiography. ( unpublished but (c) ) My mother was working on publishing that before she passed away last year, that is something my brother and I plan to finish.
I have recorded a CD of the George Story tales which is presently being mastered and will soon be available on CD Baby, later in disc format. More info on the performances and CD are available on my website; www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.com
Then there was the video project. The Wood Memorial Library and Gallery in So. Windsor CT. www.woodmemoriallibrary.org was prepping an exhibit of paintings by George Story. The Wood worked in collaboration with The Wadsworth Athaneum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art NYC, The Brooklyn Museum and the Smith College Gallery along with private art collectors. The Metropolitan video team offered to make a orientation film. It was then that the Wood learned I was a professional storyteller and was performing pieces of Uncle George’s stories. A magical evening under the lights, wired for sound, standing in a period home with appropriate props, we filmed the Lincoln story now showing at the Wood Memorial through Feb. 28, 2013.
So venture out to the Wood Memorial Library and Gallery check the website for hours they are open and the special events dates. www.woodmemoriallibrary.org Take a long slow walk through the gallery and think about Uncle George sitting before his canvas, palette in hand, stroke by stroke capturing time.
I’m back to posting blogs now, a little at a time, word by word, capturing time. Thanks for stopping by to read.