DEFINING ART WITH Ch’VARDA & THE MUSES
THE MUSE PODCAST RECORDED ITS THIRD EPISODE TO CELEBRATE THE ANNUAL BRIDGEPORT ART TRAIL IN FRONT OF A LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE - AND WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING.
Hosted by: Danielle - an Artist/Doula, Julianna Chavarria - a Photographer/Videographer, Pachét Rosetta - Author/Artist, and Nadia Sims - Poet/Author - The Muse Podcast was created as a collaborative effort between four women from all different walks of life, to share their unique experiences in life as not only women but creatives - and the intricacies of navigating the art scene as such.
For their third episode, the Muses gathered at the Arcade Mall, located in the heart of downtown Bridgeport - home to many blooming Connecticut artists.
Arcade Mall 2024 - Photos by Julia
My friends and I spent many days wandering around the Arcade Mall, just lounging about on sunny days when it was too hot to hang out at Rampage (really aged myself there - yikes!), so getting a chance to explore the space and what it’s grown into brought with it a wave of nostalgia.
This episode was filmed in a photography space in the building, owned by one of the Muses, called Photo Haus. With warm lighting and a single row of chairs, we explored what artistry meant to not only the Muses but also their guest for the evening, and multifaceted creative Ch’varda.
Throughout the episode, Ch’varda shared the beginning, middle, and what she hopes will be the pseudo “end” of her creative journey (there never really is one, is there?). She discusses her definition of art, shares her creative process, and emphasizes the importance of following your unique path to exploring your creativity. Often only seeing Ch’varda on stage - leaves little room for the intimacy needed to get to know her - so it was beautiful watching her open up and share with the crowd and listeners.
Because of their enthusiasm regarding audience participation and their unwavering warmth, the Muses cultivated a warm and welcoming experience. As the episode progressed, they were sure to check in with their audience and even offered the opportunity to answer questions and share their own creative experiences.
Photos by Julia
As someone who has also struggled with their identity in relation to their creative output, the depth with which they explored the importance of creating that comfort around labels was inspiring. Nadiah Sams. Poet Laureate of Manchester, Connecticut, and the first featured guest of the podcast discussed her journey to labeling herself a poet. Although labels tend to be frowned upon in the creative community I found it comforting to know that almost every artist has gone through a phase where they didn’t know whether or not their talent qualified them for the label.
The taping itself was unique in that it allowed the audience to witness a labor of love in the making. You could feel the hosts' admiration for one another and their journeys and the excitement around sharing the story of another creative.
After experiencing the podcast live the Muses have absolutely gained a subscriber out of me I'm looking forward to seeing how this blossoms!
