The Stories Objects Carry

Abstract

In this article, I describe an exploratory visual narrative inquiry in which I examined the stories held by three objects that were given to me during my time as a PK-12 public school art teacher. Using a methodology of following the trail, I use a combination of comics-making and narrative writing to story and re-story these three objects. This exploration revealed that how we go about storying objects matters, as it can either limit or expand how we view the active roles objects have in our lives. Ultimately, this work sketches the contours for how we can use storying and re-storying to further inquire into the vitality of objects and unlock the stories they carry.