Beyond the Glass Featuring Cocoa Rae
Join us on Beyond the Glass as we catch up with artist Cocoa Rae April 2023 Artist Alumni, discussing her journey post-Master's, her studio, and the impact of community in the arts.
@bycocoarae
Mentioned in this episode:
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Mind of Magnus
Artist Magnus Champlin Interviews guests sharing the stories and life adventures with the goal of expanding minds.
Behind the Studio Door
Behind the Studio Door, hosted by Molly Darling and Christian Rivera, takes listeners on a captivating exploration of artists and their creative processes. Through deep and meaningful conversations, they uncover the stories and experiences that shape the outward expression of their work. https://behind-the-studio-door.captivate.fm/
Transcript
Welcome back to another episode of beyond the Glass, where we talk to former artists that have been part of the behind the Glass gallery.
Co-Host:And they're still artists.
Host:They're still artists.
Host:Right.
Host:And this is why we want to catch up with them and see what's been going on since they left behind the glass.
Host:So we got an amazing artist here with us today.
Host:We'll get to, we'll get to them in a little bit.
Host:But first, behind the glass is every last Friday, currently from six to eight.
Host:For our new artist receptions, please head down to the mercantile Amen to celebrate our artists and their work.
Host:When we feature that and present it.
Host:Anytime the mercantile amen is open as well, you can stop in to see what's currently featured.
Host:So please don't forget about that as well.
Host:And yeah, also, if you haven't subscribed to the podcast, part of a great network, appreciate that.
Co-Host:And it's a great time to be part of lunch door.
Co-Host:We are growing quickly.
Co-Host:We're gonna be up to 13 shows towards the end of this year.
Host:Wow.
Co-Host:We've got music show starting.
Co-Host:We've got a.
Co-Host:The Murphys rank the world, which is straight chaos and exciting fun.
Host:We love chaos here in racks.
Co-Host:Yeah.
Co-Host:And we are also, we are getting towards the effort of doing all of the audiobooks for the in this moment chatbook series.
Co-Host:We are so excited about that.
Co-Host:This is our, thats going to be amazing.
Co-Host:This is our prestige project that were really excited about for getting some of those done this year and starting to release that on the network and then logged for posterity for all of the amazing stories that the team over there has done.
Co-Host:So we're so excited.
Co-Host:But I'm also excited that we've got a great artist here.
Co-Host:Coco, how is it going?
Host:Don't be so shy.
Coco:Sorry.
Coco:I'm doing well.
Coco:How are you guys?
Host:We're doing great.
Host:I'm so excited to catch up with you.
Host:I ran into you at Flower City Art center the other day and I was like, listen, we got to get you back on the podcast.
Host:So I was really excited to be able to link back with you and I chat a little, chat a little bit about what's been going on.
Coco:I feel like so much has happened.
Host:With the last time I april of last year, so it's been a while.
Host:We already passed the one year mark for sure.
Coco:Almost what, a year and six months something.
Co-Host:Wow.
Coco:Oh, my gosh.
Host:It's been a while.
Host:So what's been going on since then, since you've left behind the glass?
Coco:Well, since then, I graduated from visual studies workshop with my master's degree, which has been masters.
Host:Masters degree.
Host:That's a big thing.
Co-Host:That's.
Host:Wow.
Host:Yeah, that's a lot of hard work.
Host:Congratulations again.
Host:Even though we.
Host:I think our online mutuals and, you know, when you announced it, I didn't even know you were in, you know, completing your masters, which was amazing.
Host:So congrats on that.
Coco:Thank you.
Coco:It was a roller coaster ride, to be honest.
Coco:Three years didn't non stop.
Coco:Yeah, definitely nonstop.
Coco:So much has happened.
Coco:I feel like I can write a, like three page, like three books on it or something.
Coco:I don't know.
Coco:I mean, I feel like I already did that.
Coco:But it was a great, you know, I enjoyed my experience at VSW.
Coco:I learned a lot of during that time, I got to see myself as an artist and being able to see my art separately, so it was very interesting.
Coco:And also being a part of behind the glass, being able to showcase the work little by little was really cool.
Coco:And seeing it in a very different, unique space, that was something I was really excited to experiment with during my studies.
Coco:Thank you guys for allowing me to do that as well as, you know, still running my studio space.
Coco:It's open to the public, so it's been amazing.
Co-Host:Where's your space at?
Coco:I'm over.
Coco:It's called.
Coco:What is it?
Coco:They called the key locks building.
Coco:It's like the old building over on Ford.
Co-Host:Okay.
Coco:Like, I'm over there, so I'm like.
Co-Host:Oh, I don't know much about it.
Co-Host:So what is the space?
Co-Host:Are there other artists there?
Co-Host:What kind of space is it?
Coco:Well, it's.
Coco:I feel like it's changed over the years since I've been there.
Coco:So I've been.
Coco:I've been in that space for three years.
Coco:And I was fortunate enough to obtain the space through in this moment, which was amazing opportunity.
Coco:I was able to photograph two amazing leaders within the first two series.
Coco:And who did you.
Co-Host:Who did you photograph?
Coco:I photographed Adrian, the gatekeeper.
Coco:Ok.
Coco:And I photographed miss.
Coco:I mean, doctor Linda Clark.
Coco:Yeah.
Co-Host:Okay.
Co-Host:Yeah.
Co-Host:Maybe we'll have a chance to get you over to talk about your pictures in the book.
Co-Host:I would love to have.
Co-Host:We're really hoping to get the photographers over, if we can, to tell you really describe their pictures, because I don't.
Co-Host:Sometimes, you know, the photographer is going to say something about how they see the picture.
Host:Right.
Co-Host:That somebody else might not.
Host:Yeah, I'm sure there's a story to tell during that.
Host:You know, those meetings where you were able to you know, talk with them and, you know, see the.
Host:I mean, they get to see you in a process that you're working, you know, to get them, you know, presented for this book in a.
Host:You know, in a respectful manner.
Coco:Oh, yeah.
Coco:It was a great experience.
Coco:Like, I've always been a fan of Adrian since, like, my undergrad when I was living in Charleston.
Coco:So I know that's kind of different.
Coco:And that was just through mutual, like, a mutual friend who saw my work at the time and saw theirs and was like, hey, you two would.
Coco:It'd be cool to kind of get you.
Coco:Get you two together.
Coco:And ever since then, it's been.
Coco:I've been kind of on a high note with that, so that's amazing.
Coco:So there's that.
Coco:I'm also one of the leaders of the black women photographers Rochester chapter.
Coco: man in Brooklyn, New York, in: Coco:It was just organization, I guess.
Coco:It started out as a directory, and it started out with, like, 50 to 100 people.
Coco:Now it has over a thousand people all over the world.
Co-Host:That's awesome.
Coco:Yeah.
Coco:And it's geared towards black women, trans women, femmes, non binary photographers, to give them space and opportunity to be represented in the photography world.
Co-Host:So how's that been going here so far?
Coco:Pretty good.
Coco:We've been doing it for a year now, and I've been fortunate to work with Jackie McGriff and Erica J.
Coco:Both two phenomenal black women photographers.
Co-Host:They're also just also just great people.
Host:To sign the line with.
Coco:Yeah.
Coco:Both of them behind the glass in.
Co-Host:This moment, man, I just had.
Co-Host:Jackie was just over earlier this week, recording the second episode of being Black.
Co-Host:Being black in America.
Co-Host:It was, wow, what a group of people we had over talking about black women powerhouses.
Co-Host:It was just.
Co-Host:Just sitting here in the producer chair was like, I just had so much to listen to, so much to learn with all of them in the room.
Co-Host:It was just.
Co-Host:The energy was spectacular.
Co-Host:And to hear that you're helping bring people together like that, that's.
Co-Host:I love when I see people in these positions after being in the gallery and doing other things and building something that they can be proud of.
Host:Right.
Co-Host:It changed my life, doing those things, contributing, doing something I believed in.
Co-Host:And I'm so happy to hear that that's going well and that you've got people around you working on it, too.
Co-Host:That always helps, having people to work through that with.
Coco:Yeah.
Coco:Especially those two.
Coco:Like, they've both opened so many different doors, especially Jackie.
Coco:It's funny to talk about the film being black in America.
Coco:It was actually shot in my studio, and I was also.
Coco:Was it really second camera person?
Coco:Yeah.
Co-Host:Oh, my God, that's so cool.
Coco:So both of them have been amazing artists, and I call them, like, my sisters.
Coco:I love them for everything they've done.
Co-Host:That's great.
Coco:Creating space for me and other artists to kind of thrive and have their moments.
Coco:So, yeah, I'm pretty good on picking.
Coco:I'm pretty good on, like, picking authentic people.
Coco:So.
Coco:They're very authentic.
Co-Host:Well, I mean, that's also something we talk about a lot, is the people you surround yourself with is.
Co-Host:It ends up being how your life goes in directions, having people around that are passionate, that are doing the things that they believe in.
Co-Host:Like, and I've talked about it on other shows, like, something that ended up changing my direction on things was doing the first one of these with Richard in behind the glass.
Co-Host:I just thought, you know what?
Co-Host:I'm gonna do it, because I want to do this.
Co-Host:And I didn't think about where it would take me.
Host:Right.
Co-Host:And now that I can feel, like, a part of something, and now I've, like, I feel like I'm a part of the arts community in a different way than I did before, for sure, by being involved with this.
Co-Host:But I've also got to meet such amazing people that I never would have met before.
Co-Host:And getting to hear those stories.
Host:Yeah.
Co-Host:It changed my entire direction on where I was going with podcasting, with other things and how I wanted to contribute.
Co-Host:And I'm so happy to hear that, because it does mean I.
Co-Host:It means a lot to me to hear the journey and how these things end up affecting us, because, like, I'm a better person that Richard's in my life.
Co-Host:I'm a better person because everybody from behind the glass is in my life, even in a small way at times.
Host:Yeah.
Host:No, I mean, and it's great because I think what we have as artists is that when we build this network, we have people that not only just come to support each other for the craft that we're doing, which is photography, visual arts, or whatever, but also the.
Host:The thick of life.
Host:Right.
Host:There's a time where I was going through some stuff with my, you know, my dad's passing and stuff that I've been going through.
Host:And I remember I was driving to Caledonia to.
Host:At the time, you know, you know, the girl I was dating at the time, and I was just going through, like, some, like, emotional state of just, ah, right.
Host:And, um, you had reached out.
Host:You know, you had reached out to me and, um, you know, gave me that extra support, and I'm not gonna go into, you know, deep detail.
Co-Host:Yeah.
Host:But it was enough for me to be able to, in a way, reflect on where I've been, what I'm doing in the arts community, and the accomplishments that I have, you know, and to actually look at what I have in front of me and the people that I have surrounded.
Host:You know, I'm always big on, you know, advocating for supporting your inner circle.
Host:Right.
Host:And if everybody does that in their own space, you know, it's just a win win Ponzi scheme of positive emotions.
Host:And, you know, it's people like that that you want to be around all the time.
Host:And I appreciate that you're able to do that and also network with other people that are outside of my own circle, which, I gotta say, erica and Jackie are definitely part of my inner circle.
Host:I love them, you know, to death.
Host:Um, they're also going to be a future, uh, beyond the Glass podcast episode pretty soon, but, yeah, no, um, these people, you know, and this is why, um, we showcase people right in the behind the glass gallery.
Host:Gallery.
Host:Not just for what they bring to the table in terms of their art, but also the character.
Host:Right.
Host:You know, I want to make sure that their character is on point.
Host:Not gonna name names, but there's people that have reached out and applied to behind the glass, or, you know, they've come up to me or q and just said, hey, you know, I would love this, but at the end of the day, we notice their character.
Host:Right.
Host:We notice different things about how they present themselves outside of what they do.
Host:And I feel like it's not a fit.
Coco:Right.
Host:It doesn't set an example.
Host:And if it's people that we don't want in our inner circle, that we're not gonna really showcase them.
Host:But, yeah, I appreciate you giving back to the arts community, staying in that network, being able to amplify other artists, black artists, women, which is great.
Host:And I appreciate everything.
Host:It's so great to see these things culminate, even.
Host:I mean, because, honestly, I was.
Host:You know, we feel like we were so proud to have you part of the gallery, but to be honest, the rate you were going before you got in the gallery, you probably would have hit these.
Host:These things already.
Host:You know, I feel like, you know, the behind the glass was just a little drop in the ocean of things you had already ahead of you that you were already doing great in.
Host:So I appreciate you being part of that.
Host:Now, also, wait, real quick.
Host:New York City, is that something that you're a part of as well?
Host:Right.
Coco:Right now with.
Coco:With Jackie and our voices project, we were part of a film festival because of just.
Coco:It's our first film festival, which is, like, amazing.
Coco:I'm still, like, stoked.
Host:And put it out there, let people know.
Host:Listen, if you're listening from New York City at the time, you need to head over there, or if you're in Rashtra, you want to go support them and go around there, too.
Host:I think I was trying to link up to try and go also.
Host:I think it'd be awesome.
Host:But, yeah, talk a little bit more about that.
Host:I'm excited about it, too, because it's great, for sure.
Host:Rochester in New York City.
Host:But go ahead.
Host:Go for it.
Coco:Well, it was interesting because Jackie being this, like, she's so headstrong, and I'm so always.
Coco:I've always been inspired by her.
Coco:And we both, like, I don't know, we kind of feed off each other's energy, and it's a good thing.
Coco:Cause it's kind of, like we're pouring into each other's cup, and it's, like, constantly overflowing or, like, stop.
Coco:You stop.
Coco:You stop.
Co-Host:You stop.
Coco:It's kind of like that.
Coco:And at the time, we had a lot of stuff going on, you know, like, she was going with her own personal stuff.
Coco:I was dealing with mine, like, especially losing a dear family member at the time and still trying to, like, process that.
Coco:And in the midst of all that, we were just pouring into each other's cups, and the next day, like, news dropped, and I was like, wait a minute.
Coco:We were just talking about this, you know?
Coco:And it's funny.
Coco:That's something I especially.
Coco:I would say a special gift of mine is, like, manifestation.
Coco:Like, if I say I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it, you know?
Coco:So.
Coco:And if aligns with me, and if it aligns with the other individual, then it's gonna happen.
Coco:So it was pretty cool to see something like that happen where all of us are super excited.
Coco:But I felt like I was just happy to be a part of the project in the beginning.
Coco:Just.
Coco:Even Jackie and our voices just reaching out and talking and talking about our passions and just opening up about that and creating space for me, for us to be authentic with our craft.
Coco:So that was something that was amazing.
Coco:And then New York City, I'm just like.
Coco:I was there in July.
Coco:I kind of had, like, my own little personal journey with that, and I kind of got a little nervous because I don't think I fit in this space.
Coco:And it's funny, it's like I got a personal calling card from the city.
Coco:It's like, hey, come back.
Coco:We like you, you know?
Coco:So it was, it's interesting.
Coco:So that's awesome.
Co-Host:Yeah, I think it, it's, it's so, it's so interesting that you mentioned, like, I would never use the word manifestation because it's not how I see, that's not how I perceive the world, generally speaking.
Co-Host:But there's something about being.
Co-Host:There's something being overt about the things you actually want to accomplish about when you say, when you say the things you really want to do.
Co-Host:I think other people start to see you that way, even if you haven't gotten there yet.
Co-Host:They start to see things about you.
Co-Host:And then sometimes they'll just remember something that you need to know or the person you need to know or something else because they think of you in a different way because you had the risk of putting it out there that I want to accomplish something, that I'm at the space where I feel like I have something I want to shoot for.
Co-Host:And yet we can perceive it in different ways.
Co-Host:But if you're out there and you feel like you're trying for something, people see that in you, and it changes the way you also, it changes the way you carry yourself because there's something else out there for you.
Coco:Yeah.
Co-Host:And I love that we can all see it in different ways, but it's also just happening because of that.
Coco:Yeah.
Co-Host:And it's.
Co-Host:Yeah.
Co-Host:You know, it's the fun thing about these.
Co-Host:I never know where it's gonna go.
Coco:Yeah.
Co-Host:Sometimes it's punchy and light, and we just bounce around.
Co-Host:We have a great time.
Co-Host:And sometimes we get into these conversations that it's stuff we've all been working through.
Co-Host:For sure, because I think we've all been working through that stuff in different ways.
Host:Yeah.
Co-Host:And it's.
Co-Host:Yeah.
Co-Host:I'm really glad we're having this chat.
Coco:Yeah.
Coco:Oh, yeah.
Host:So what?
Host:So where can people find your work right now?
Coco:Okay, so I have an ex.
Coco:There's going to be an exhibition out in Brockport University, like SUNY Brockport at their tower of Art center.
Host:Nice.
Coco: from four to: Coco:okay.
Coco:And it goes until November 17.
Coco:Sorry.
Co-Host:Nice.
Host:So lots of time.
Coco:Yes.
Coco:It's going to be amazing.
Coco:I, along with a bunch of amazing artists, are going to be featured.
Coco:Unique Smith is going to be there a couple other artists in my brain I'm trying to remember.
Coco:My brain's kind of going thick right now.
Host:You know what?
Host:Don't spoil it.
Host:They have to go to see, and then they'll be surprised then.
Coco:Yeah.
Host:We know you're featured there, so that's all that matters.
Coco:Oh, yeah.
Coco:This is gonna be amazing.
Coco:If you didn't get a chance to see my thesis in May, you'll get a chance to see pieces of art.
Host:Look at that.
Co-Host:So cool.
Host:Awesome.
Host:Well, thank you, Coco.
Host:I appreciate you coming.
Co-Host:Yeah.
Co-Host:And definitely go to ourvoicesproject.com Black Dash in Dash America to, you know, see all about what's coming up with its screening at the voices rising film festival.
Co-Host:And, you know, follow.
Co-Host:Follow our voices on instagram to pay attention to screenings in Rochester.
Host:Yeah.
Co-Host:Showing up in person for work you believe in, matters for everybody involved.
Co-Host:It matters for you.
Co-Host:It matters for the people that produce the great work.
Co-Host:Go out and support this, you know, really tremendous piece of work that is coming out of people in Rochester who are trying to do good things for what's going on here now.
Host:For sure.
Host:For sure.
Host:We'll see you guys next time.
Co-Host:Beyond the glass.
Co-Host:This has been a presentation of the Lunchadore podcast network.
Co-Host:I know there's rumors going around.
Co-Host:I know.
Co-Host:I know.
Co-Host:I've heard it all.
Co-Host:And it's true.
Co-Host:Richard Colon is the Bernie Madoff of positivity Ponzi schemes.
Co-Host:It's true.
Co-Host:It's damn true.
