
2024
Peachboy
The Peachboy Project was a collaborative art mentorship conducted as part of KSMoCA’s Mentorship Program, in partnership with a third-grade student, Chanel. Over the course of eight weeks, we explored storytelling and creativity, culminating in a cultural exchange inspired by the Japanese folktale “Momotaro.”
Collaborator /
Chanel (3rd grader at Dr. MLK Jr. Elementary School), and KSMoCA
The Peachboy Project emerged from the KSMoCA Mentorship Program, where I worked alongside Chanel, a third-grade student, for an hour each week over eight weeks. Chanel expressed her interest in creating art from the start, and our sessions naturally revolved around making, building, and sharing stories as we worked. Chanel often had a clear vision of what she wanted to create, yet she was also open to new ideas when I offered suggestions, demonstrating both confidence and flexibility.
As our collaboration grew, I felt an increasing desire to create something meaningful together. Through our conversations, we discovered a shared love for films and stories. When I introduced Chanel to traditional Japanese folktales, her eyes lit up with excitement. She was captivated by the tales and their imaginative worlds.
I proposed an idea: I would narrate a Japanese folktale, and Chanel would illustrate the story based on her own imaginative interpretations. Chanel was thrilled by the idea. Her illustrations reflected her boundless creativity and curiosity, unbounded by preconceived notions of Japan.
However, as I revisited the “Momotaro” story, I became increasingly aware of its embedded issues of political correctness. I felt a strong internal resistance to retelling the tale exactly as I had heard it growing up. Instead, I improvised and reimagined the narrative in real-time, adjusting it to align with my reflections as an adult and my awareness of cultural shifts.
The result was a transformed version of the story transplanted into Chanel’s world—an entirely unique retelling shaped by the dynamic exchange between us. This unplanned, live process of cultural reinterpretation was both unexpected and deeply engaging.
Through this micro-cultural exchange, Chanel and I deepened our understanding of each other. Our shared experience illustrated how storytelling and art can foster genuine curiosity, mutual respect, and meaningful cultural bridges.



