Artist Spotlight: Kristie Stephenson
Jamaican Kristie Stephenson is a maker on a mission to sprinkle magic and wonder throughout her homeland and the world. Each beaded creation under her Story and Myth brand is strung mindfully to bring the wearer healing, protection and strength and a vast inflow of positive energy.
A strong believer in the metaphoric power of a culture's long standing stories passed down from generation to generation. Kristie often shares folklore and ancient mythology to illustrate truths around self empowerment, inner strength and divine protection, as well calls for a collective push towards a more socially and environmentally conscious community. This belief in the potency of cultural tales is what sparked the creation of the line's Story and Myth name.
Since COVID-19, Kristie started drawing on the walls of her home, using chalk. Telling stories through drawing and narration. The drawings are temporary, each morning she starts a new one, nothing is prepared prior, the drawing happens in the moment on the day and is eventually erased to start a new one the next day.
Kristie enjoys playing polo, the sport of kings, the horse a symbol of freedom for her is one of the symbols in her blessing bead bracelet line. She is also a lover of middle eastern music and dance which has inspired many of her creations.
Hanan Arts Artistic Director & Founder Tiffany Madera worked with Kristie Stephenson to develop art and dance empowerment workshops to provide outreach to the underserved populations in Jamaica, where Kristie lives. Together, they created Oud Xamayca: The Mermaid Project - an interdisciplinary project using photography, collage making, mapping, wearable art, templates, visual art, story, myth and movement to create new archetypes of empowerment. Using the metaphor of mermaids and drawing upon the work of visual artist Kristie Stephenson and the divine feminine- we will work with participants to engage in lively and earnest self expression with tangible creations of art and a public showcase upon completion. Learn more about this ongoing project at the Oud Xamayca Facebook page.
