B.Z. Smith--Sonora, CA www.hive-arts.org

B.Z. Telling a tale in Rio Vista, TX, in 1992.

Winner of the National Storytelling Network's 2011 Oracle Award for Service & Leadership in the Pacific States Region, B.Z. has dedicated nearly 40 years to the presence of storytelling in the Sierra Nevada region.  One of California's premiere tellers and an innovator in the Tandem Storytelling style, B.Z. helped found 3 popular tandem groups: The Moonbeams (1977 to 1980), the Story Tailors (1981 to 1988) and the widely acclaimed Story Quilters (1995 to 2009).  With her tandem partner Cynthia Restivo, the Story Quilters won a Parents' Choice Gold Award for their premiere recording, toured extensively throughout California and were featured at the National Storytelling Festival's 2005 Exchange Place, representing the Pacific region.

Now entering her fifth decade in the storytellers' community, B.Z. enjoys mentoring young tellers, teaches a class called "The Art of Storytelling for Filmmaking" for aspiring film students, and still keeps an active performance calendar.  A tribal member of Wyandotte Nation through her mother's blood lines, this year she was honored with her tribal name "Mehndidehtee: Her Words Go Far, and Then Return to Her."

To learn more about her work, visit her website or send an email to bz@hive-arts.org

---

Claudia Tonge-Thorpe & B.Z. as The Story Tailors in 1984

Featured "Big Tent" tellers in 2005 when the Story Quilters performed in the Exchange Place.

BZ & Cynthia Restivo, performing as The Story Quilters....Tandem at its best!

Telling Haitian tale "One, Come to Mama" at a community event to honor Dr. ML King, 2010