LIZ GIBSON TEACHING, WORKSHOPS AND LECTURES

I use storytelling and visual art to inspire audiences to appreciate the issues related to physical and cognitive disabilities. I do performances, slide lectures and teaching workshops that are designed to help children and/or adults gain insights in creativity and diversity. The primary themes of my artwork are about overcoming adversity and gaining empowerment.

I am a visiting artist with VSA Florida. In that program I’ve worked with hundreds of disabled students in public schools as a mentor, role model and art teacher. I also received a Florida Blue Spark grant from the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville to bring art experiences to children in Jacksonville in 2014 and 2015.

I create performances on my themes using my costumes, visual art, storytelling and songs. The performances are portable and can happen wherever there are potential audiences.

My slide lectures have a clear through-line as I describe my experience growing up as a young artist with a deformed arm in a rural Pennsylvania mountain area. I explain how I developed the symbols and motifs I use as a professional artist.

Some of my performances use toys to engage children. In one of them I use a large slingshot that is shaped like my 2-fingered hand and shoot stuffed toys for kids to catch. I want the kids to associate my deformity with something fun instead of being freaked out by it.

I also encourage question/answer sessions after each performance and lecture and it’s amazing how many people will share their own stories about disabilities and triumphs.