Arts Directory

About

Artist Bio

Tim Lowry was presented with a 2020 National Storytelling Network Oracle Award in recognition for his creativity, professional integrity, and artistic contributions enriching the storytelling culture of the Southeast for more than 20 years. He integrates the Performing Arts, English Language Arts, and Social Studies in performances that emphasize the spoken word and literacy. Education units run the gamut- from shadow puppetry incorporating Native American star stories and scientific facts about the constellations, to dramatic radio plays encompassing facts about World War II and showcasing student writing, to coaching sessions with high school drama students studying physical and vocal characterization techniques. When collaborating with classroom teachers Tim’s ultimate goal is to leave the teacher with a unit theme, lesson plans, and all necessary resources to duplicate the creative experience again and again independent of the artist/specialist. For the past dozen years Tim has toured nationally with personal narratives, folk tales, and stories from American history. He is a perennial favorite at the National Storytelling Festival and has appeared at over 50 other festivals from coast to coast. In 2023 Tim published a memoir, “Haunted by Dickens,” chronicling two decades of adventures as an interpreter of the world’s most beloved ghost story, “A Christmas Carol.” The book won a Storytelling World Award and hit an Amazon top seller list during its first two weeks of publication. His latest projects include a tongue-in-cheek story series commenting on Southern culture called “Bought Ancestors,” a commissioned piece on the American Revolution in South Carolina, a collection of short stories with the working title “Southern Fried Circus,” and several consultancies for government and para-government agencies on applied storytelling for leadership development and civil service. Tim makes his home in Summerville, SC where he enjoys bbq, sweet tea, and backyard bonfires with his wife and two daughters and their friends and neighbors on the Sweet Tea Trail.

Artist Statement

As a performer in general, and a storyteller/dramatic artist in particular, I am very much aware that I serve as a voice for my community, my state, my region, my country, and my world. The voice is foundational to human expression. A baby’s cry will grow to babbling and laughter, and then to words, and then to sentences, and then to fluent speech. It is my goal as a teaching artist to identify where an individual and/or group is resting on this continuum and then to offer a helping hand to the next level. This requires deep listening, cultural sensitivity, and unfailing commitment to the work. The ultimate goal is for me to step away and see strong and capable individuals and communities speaking their own distinctive voices as they eloquently express their hopes, dreams, values, and philosophies. This work is often described by folklorists as “building a ladder to the moon.” As a spoken-word artist I strive to both model and teach oral communication skills that will help communities celebrate their cultural identities through the preservation and presentation of personal narratives, histories, folklore, legends, and creation myths. The longer I work in the field of oral communication the more I am convinced that this “ladder to the moon” concept is integral to the building and maintenance of healthy communities and more vital than ever as we navigate the challenges of a global Information Age that relies more and more on digital, visual, and artificial experiences.

Teaching Artistry Details

Teaching Artist Statement

My work as an artist requires a keen sense of observation. Noticing the world around me, seeing people as more than two dimensional, learning to empathize are all skills that translate to the classroom. Another skill that is very much relevant to the classroom is work ethic. As an independent artist, I have learned that self-motivation and the determination to see a project through to completion are essential. I rely on these skills regularly when preparing lessons or performances for an educational setting. I often try to give students a sense of this by walking them through the major steps of story crafting (collecting ideas, creating a plan, sketching out characters, drafting an outline, writing a rough draft, polishing, peer editing, final drafting). A single lesson or residency may focus on only one or two of these major steps, but I always present some stories in oral and/or written format to show a finished product and in Q/A session we discuss just how long the entire process can take. Teaching the art of story crafting involves several pedagogical strategies: demonstration, reading, improvisation, role playing, educational games, guided play, discussion, Q&A, contrast and compare, presentation, peer collaboration, and review. Success is often measured in two ways: student engagement and presentation of a final project. Student engagement is most often monitored by the classroom teacher noting the eagerness for students to volunteer, their willingness to share what they have learned or created, the percentage of homework completion, the uptick in certain subjects checked out from the school library, and parents’ reports about dinner conversation regarding the subject of the day. Most of my residencies conclude with a culminating project that can be evaluated with a rubric. For instance, a written story can be evaluated in areas of logical sequence, well defined characters, clearly written sentences, proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Oral stories can be evaluated on performance/platform skills such as volume, rate, pitch, and vocal quality. Students often reflect on the experience of working with a resident artist in written form as they write letters to me stating what they have learned, what they enjoyed, and what they found challenging. This reflection time is often facilitated by the classroom teacher at the conclusion of a residency. I have a standing offer with all students that if they, on their own, mail a handwritten letter to my studio I will reciprocate with a postcard stating some reflections of my own. Classroom teachers are also given complimentary access to over twenty hours of storytelling recordings that can be used in follow up lessons and as supplemental material in ELA, Social Studies, and Science classes.

Description of Offerings

Interactive lessons in the arts of storytelling and theatre (oral communication, acting skills, writing skills) to facilitate learning in multiple areas. First, students practice skills that are directly related to ELA standards in oral communication, writing, and reading comprehension. Second, students learn facts and practice concepts from social studies and science in stories that they hear, read, act out, craft, and present to their peers. Third, as is appropriate to the project, students also employ a variety of art and music skills when performing stories. Lessons may incorporate a variety of props, costumes, manipulatives, puppets, or games depending on the subject matter and the age of the students. Residencies are crafted to meet the specific needs of the student population. New commissions and collaborations are welcome. Past residencies for K-2 have included Folk and Fairy Tales, Stories from Around the World, Puppet Play, and Oral Narration. Past residencies for 3-5 have included Tall Tales, WW II Radio Hour, Stories of Immigration, Adapting Greek Myth, Writing a Personal Narrative, Shadow Puppetry, Civil War Campfire, American Revolution, The Life of Thomas Edison, Westward Expansion, Lewis & Clark, Xmas Truce of WW I. Middle and High School residencies focus on oral storytelling and writing skills with acting and vocal exercises designed to spark imagination and demonstrate story crafting techniques with samples drawn from personal narrative, classic short stories, and some novels. All residencies promote reading and family literacy.

I may offer live, virtual programs via Google Meets or Zoom as a follow up to a residency to give students a tour of my studio or feature a “day on the life” of a working artist. I also offer a digital product that uses stories from American history in video, audio, and written form to teach listening, reading, and writing skills for 3rd-5th grade students. Membership is good for a lifetime and special pricing for whole school access or district wide access can be negotiated. Sample the digital product at this link.

Storytelling is very adaptable for special needs students. I have served classes for deaf children, visually impaired, and groups with a variety of cognitive abilities. Non-verbal, autistic students are often more responsive to storytelling than other art forms or presentations such as lecture, film, or demonstration.

Experienced with the following age groups

• Preschool (3-5 years)
• Kindergarten -2nd Grade
• 3rd-5th Grade
• 6th-8th Grade
• 9th-12th Grade
• Higher Education
• Adults
• Creative Aging (Adults 60+)

Materials Provided to Schools or Organizations by Teaching Artist

• All specialty materials (puppets, props, costumes, manipulatives, etc.) are provided.
• Depending on the nature of the project, the school may need to provide basic supplies such as scissors, tape, paper, crayons.
• Pre-view videos and digital resources (illustrations, PowerPoints, etc.) will be provided to the teacher before the lesson.
• Post residency videos for follow up or expanded learning are provided via YouTube links.

Physical and Technical Requirements of a School or Organization

• Most residencies and/or lessons require a classroom space or multi-purpose room. If needed the storyteller/teaching artist can travel from room to room.
• A microphone of any style is necessary for large groups.