On-design Outcomes: An Invitation to Stonework and Storytelling


One beautiful aspect of World Forum events are the serendipitous encounters that often lead to deep connections. At the 2012 International Working Forum OnDesign for Children, Diana Suskind (United States) invited participants to join in Stonework and Storytelling. She introduced this open-ended activity and shared photos and stories of how it had worked with young children in Nepal. Soon several OnDesign participants had each found their own spot on the terrace and began quietly arranging stones, then copying their designs onto paper and sharing their stories. With this introduction to Stonework and Storytelling, OnDesign participant Elizabeth Jarman (United Kingdom) began talking with Diana about a collaboration. As a result, The Elizabeth Jarman Foundation® has now united with Diana Suskind to launch an exciting new action research project: Stonework Inspires Storytelling. You, along with educators, parents, and caregivers from around the world, are invited to get involved now and then report back by the end of 2012. It’s free. Jarman and Suskind hope to capture lots of examples of stonework, which will then be showcased in an online gallery and included in a project analysis report. “Stonework is a great way to inspire creativity through the use of natural resources. We hope you’ll join in.”

“Like all art, stonework is never quite finished, always waiting for the next creative touch. It is, like the child himself or herself, always a work in progress.” -- Diana Suskind

“Stonework: a Multi-layered Foundation for Deep Creative Play”Elizabethjarmanfoundation.co.uk 
"Our Stonework Inspires Storytelling Project” by Diana Suskind, Ed.D. Elizabeth Jarman Magazine - Issue 2, 2012, pg 28-9