The Art in Conversation Project explores what happens when music and visual art meet through story.
A documentary song is created from spoken words that reflect a lived event. This project begins with a simple question: how might a visual artist respond to a documentary song—and translate its meaning into image?
Inspired by the work of painter Monica Kelly, the project brings together visual artists and documentary songs to create new, interconnected works across disciplines. The result is a dialogue between story, sound, and image.
The project includes the following collaborations:
- Raspberries — Clio Berta (art), Don Mitchell (storyteller)
- One Girl to Another — Hannah Wells (art), Genevieve Roby (storyteller)
- I Lay My Eyes on You — Clio Berta (art), Hannah Batley & Malcolm Brooks (song)
- Off to Find Peace — Anna French (art), Hannah Batley & Malcolm Brooks (song)
Together, these works invite audiences to experience documentary storytelling in a new way—through multiple artistic lenses that expand how a story can be seen, heard, and felt.
Participating Teaching Artists
Songs from Art in Conversation
Off To Find Peace
2021
Malcolm Brooks and Hannah Batley explore their philosophy on Life.
Explore the Song
Raspberries
2021
As a young boy, Don Mitchell witnessed a fire sweeping through his Maine village and then found delicious raspberries growing in the aftermath.
Explore the Song
I Lay My Eyes on You
2021
A precursor to a full-fledged documentary song, "I Lay My Eyes on You" relates Hannah Batley and Malcolm Brooks's impressions of Barbara Brooks's work balance with 2 year-old Ian in childcare.
Explore the Song
One Girl to Another
2020
At a middle school, one friend protects another, but to intervene, she must stand one against many.
Explore the Song
How Does Documentary Songwriting Work?
Every project follows a collaborative process where teaching artists guide participants in sharing stories and shaping them into songs. Learn about the method.
Learn More About the DocSong Method