Narrative Threads: Mining Testimonios and Story-Building as Transformative Practice

Authors

• Nicole M. Romanski, Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaFollow
• Leslie C. Sotomayor II, Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaFollow
• Julia L. Hovanec, Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0934-8292 -Dr. Nicole Romanski

 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1795-2265-Dr. Leslie Sotomayor

 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5972-1214 Dr. Julia Hovanec

Abstract

This visual essay interweaves narrative and feminist testimonio practices through the lived experiences and critical reflections of three art educators. It explores storytelling as a transformative method within art education and visual culture. Through vignettes of personal narratives and testimonios, the authors examine how individual experiences shape their teaching philosophies and pedagogical practices. This article situates their positionalities through diverse creative processes, including story mining, bookmaking, filmmaking, advanced clinical experience reflections, and visual pláticas. By merging practice and reflection, the collaborators highlight narrative pedagogy as a tool for personal and professional growth. Drawing on the work of scholars such as James Haywood Rolling Jr. (2012), Mary Jane Zander (2007), Donald Schön (1983), and Gloria Anzaldúa (2015), this piece bridges storytelling, critical reflectiveness, and art education to offer practical insights into integrating narrative-based inquiry in teaching and  creative practice.

Author Biography

Nicole M. Romanski, PhD, is an assistant professor of art education at Kutztown University. Her research focuses on narrative pedagogy and arts integration, exploring how multimodal storytelling practices facilitate meaning-making, empathy, and transformative learning. Leslie C. Sotomayor II, PhD (she/her/ella), is a first-generation bilingual Spanish and English McNair scholar. She is a writer, artist, curator and scholar centering underrepresented and social justice themes in her work. Julia L. Hovanec, PhD, is a professor of art education at Kutztown University whose research and teaching center on reflective practice, identity, art criticism, and interdisciplinary learning, mentoring teachers through leadership and scholarship.

Recommended Citation

Romanski, Nicole M.; Sotomayor, Leslie C. II; and Hovanec, Julia L. (2026) "Narrative Threads: Mining Testimonios and Story-Building as Transformative Practice," Artizein: Arts and Teaching Journal: Vol. 11: Iss. 1, Article 7.
Available at: https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/atj/vol11/iss1/7

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