Lorraine has a variety of story programs and workshops for all ages:

Catch The Reading Bug Programs     new

Lorraine’s story programs will have your library buzzing with enthusiasm. Her tales of creep crawly critters and their friends are fun for the whole family. Her story and art programs help children and teens explore their personal creativity. Her creative dramatics workshop is fun and informative for teens and tweens.

Wiggles and Wonders –Stories of Creepy Crawly Critters (for all ages)
Some stories make you laugh, others make you sigh and some cause you to gasp with wonder. Join Storyteller Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi as she reaches into her bag of stories and pulls out a selection of “bug” tales that will delight and amuse listeners of all ages.

Doodlebugs (for grades K-5)
Storyteller Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi shares a “creepy crawly” tale and workshop participants use the story images to create a one-of-a-kind bug mask made from paper.

Mixing It Up (for tweens and teens)
Storyteller Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi shares traditional and fractured fairy tales. Using these stories, she helps participants rearrange characters and plots from familiar tales into original new stories that they share with one another in this creative drama workshop.

Transformations and Revelations (for teens)
Storyteller Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi shares the Russian fairy tale Vasilisa the Wise to initiate a brief discussion about change and identity. Using these insights, she will help participants create a self-portrait by making an inside-out box!

Story Programs

Wish Upon a Star - Get a Clue to Who You Are
Each one of us carries a special wish within our heart. These wishes and dreams can help us understand who we are. Storyteller Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi spins magical tales that reveal the perils of foolish wishes as well as the promise of true wishes from a hopeful heart. In this interactive story program, children and their families will listen to stories of wonder, talk about wishes and dreams, create a “wish poem” for the world and learn to look at their lives in a different ways.

Here a Story... There a Story... Everywhere a Story... (for families)
Stories come in all sizes and all shapes. Some make you laugh, others make you sigh and some cause you to gasp with wonder. Join Lorraine as she reaches into her bag of stories and pulls out a thoughtful selection of wonder tales, folk tales and literary tales that will delight and amuse listeners of all ages.

Wanderers and Adventurers (for teens)
Fairytales and myths often focus on the transformative journey of a particular hero. These wonderful tales are filled with adventures that stimulate the imagination and touch the heart. This delightful program is designed for middle school age children and older audiences.

Workshops

Listening to the Echoes
The powerful images found in folktales resonate within the human heart and allow us to connect to our deepest longings. These images also provide an amazing source of inspiration for teen and adult writers and storytellers. By focusing on the imagery in folktales, we can stimulate our imagination and improve our access to personal creativity. Stories told by Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi provide the basis for a variety of exercises including guided imagery, journaling, and discussion. Participants will develop a list of story starters and learn techniques for continuing stories.

Imagination Station – Creative Dramatics
Join storyteller Lorraine as she helps children explore their imaginations and communicate their ideas. Folktales provide the inspiration for dramatic retellings of stories using creative drama exercises, games and children's original dialogue.

The Storymaker’s Journey – A Mask-Making Workshop
Participants will listen to a story and use the story images to create a one-of-a-kind character mask made from paper. Using the simple techniques of cutting, folding and scoring, participants will create paper shapes that can be used to embellish a paper mask of individual design. This delightful program enthralls elementary school students and family audiences.

Workshops for Adults -- Why Should Kids Have All the Fun?     new

Imagination allows us to see what is possible. We can empathize with the plight of others and envision new solutions to old problems. Encouraging creativity can make us better problem solvers and helps us cultivate communities that nurture and educate.

Storyteller Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi combines story and art in her work with adults. The vivid images found in stories provide the basis for concrete projects such as masks, dolls, altered art boxes and story murals. Stories touch the hearts of adults as well as children. In these workshops, participants use the images in a story to create a piece of art that expresses personal connections with the story. Making art in this way eases stress, creates community and allows for individual expression that can develop a more creative response to other aspects of daily life.

This program was originally funded in part by the Dutchess County Arts Council. The library liked it so much that they continued it.

Guardian Spirit Dolls
Unwind with a good story and connect with your creativity. Storyteller Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi will help participants craft a unique guardian spirit doll based on images from an ancient Japanese story about generosity and compassion. Lorraine will provide the doll’s form for participants to stuff and embellish with lace, buttons, string, ribbon and yarn. Participants are encouraged to bring similar materials from home to create an individual piece of art that has personal significance.

A Portfolio of Wishes
A story of wishes and dreams becomes the inspiration for a handmade starburst book. Lorraine tells a story, uses guided imagery to focus on specific images and then introduces participants to design elements of a simple book.

See My Story
A story of remembrance allows participants to create a “keepsake vessel” expressing favorite memories. Lorraine will work with participants to elicit memories and encourage them to share stories. Using old photographs and personal memorabilia participants will develop an individualized memory container.

Illuminaries
A personal story becomes the inspiration for this self-portrait collage. Using simple drawing materials, words, markers, fabric and personal memories and memorabilia, participants will assemble an individualized collage expressing a quality they admire. Participants are encouraged to bring family photos, keepsakes, mementos, fabric scraps.

Transformation and Revelation
Storyteller Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi shares the Russian fairy tale Vasilisa the Wise. Using images from the story, she will briefly engage participants in a discussion about change and identity. Using these insights and simple materials, she will help participants create a self-portrait by making an inside-out box! Bring photos, poems and other personal memorabilia as well as an old magazine or two to share.

That This Day Will Never Come Again Is What Makes Life So Sweet
A memory gathering workshop designed to help adults explore their own stories and learn ways to share them with friends and family.

A Workshop for Librarians

StoryPlay: Story Hour as the Doorway to Literacy
This is a participatory workshop for children’s librarians and pre-school teachers focusing on storytelling and emergent literacy.