About me
Sue Bailey, Storyteller
I was born and educated in Southampton. I studied Microbiology at University, worked in Youth Hostels in the Peak District and Norfolk, taught in Kirkby in Merseyside for 7 years, had 3 sons, lived in Wisconsin USA for three years and moved to the Isle of Wight in 2000.
I have told stories and run workshops at a number of places and venues over the years including Australia’s Castlemaine State Festival, and the International School in London. Most of my work has been on the Isle of Wight for many of the numerous festivals and community events that take place over here. Highlights have included bedtime stories on the Kidszone stage at the Isle of Wight Rock Festival, Christmas stories by candlelight in the woods at Fort Victoria and a gecko themed birthday party for an 8 year old. I am always open to new challenges!
The present
I love stories, and the ideas and images they can convey and believe in there is an important place for oral storytelling, alongside reading, in our culture. Story telling can be more creative as each story evolves slightly each time it is told. Stories can be adapted, not tied to the words on the page. It enables the listeners to create their own imaginative pictures and images as the story unfolds.
My Favourite stories are those with a twist in the tail, some humour e.g., The four stages of man; Coyote and The money tree; and Anansi Tales.
I tell stories that may be traditional, modern or new and original. I love listening to stories and delight in finding a gem of tale that is calling out to be retold.
In 2006 I began the Island Storytellers, a group that meets monthly to swap stories. I work closely with the Island Storytellers to promote and develop storytelling on the Isle of Wight. We have had three successful storytelling festivals the first in 2006, ‘Ferry Tales’, in 2008, and ‘Mosaic of Words’ in 2010. 2012 will probably see more workshops and visiting storytellers to the group
The future
I have begun working in partnership with singer song writer Cheryl Shepard and we have undertaken a number of projects together with plans to do more. I like the combination of music and story as a bit of music gives the brain time to ‘digest’ stories.
I am interested in investigating the therapeutic aspects of storytelling and have invited international storyteller and psychiatric social worker, Janet Dowling, to run a workshop ‘ The use of storytelling in the care of the bereaved’ in January 2012
I would like to undertake some inter-generational storytelling work with young people and senior citizens. I plan to use a bicycle as a common link between the generations to get them talking. However the bicycle that I use will be adapted for Kamishibai storytelling techniques as used by street vendors in Japan in the 1950s. The Kamishibai storytelling which I have done, has been very successful and is a good linking activity for oral and written stories
In the meantime I will be out and about at festivals, in restaurants, in cafes and, of course, at the storyclub, telling and swapping stories.