Hello, explorers! My name is Kyla Jernigan, and I’m a world traveler, artist, and Fulbright U.S. Student Program researcher currently living in Budapest, Hungary. I grew up in a small town in Tennessee, but my curiosity has taken me all the way across the ocean to study something surprising: monsters! Inspired by my love of movie monsters I am now diving into understanding their origins; the creatures found in traditional stories, art, and folklore that have been shared for hundreds of years.
In this virtual exchange program, I’ll invite you to explore Hungary with me as I research monsters from Hungarian folklore and learn what they can teach us about history, culture, and human fears. Not only that, but you’ll get a behind the scenes look as I partner with students from Jelky András Applied Arts High School to research, design, and craft their very own original monster costumes. You’ll get an inside look at the process of in depth costume research, sourcing, and construction. Along the way, I’ll show how monsters often represent real worries—like fear of the dark, the unknown, or dangerous places—and how storytelling helped communities understand the world around them.
By joining me on this one of a kind artistic journey, you’ll discover how imagination, creativity, and curiosity are powerful tools for learning and cultural understanding. Plus, you'll use storytelling and design to create monsters of your own! I can’t wait to explore Hungary and its legendary creatures with you.
Register for free at bit.ly/rtwexplore.
