Meet Your Hosts

Chantelle of soluna medicines is a Cuban and Colombian multimedia artist + medicine woman based in Western MA. Her art is rooted in ritual, typically including a connection to nature. All spaces she curates focus on deepening into the web of community through creating art and exploring our spiritual center together. Often times her art evokes feelings of discomfort, excitement, or inner freedom as the interactive components of her work asks participants to explore new and often taboo sides of themselves. For 5 years she has been holding creative space for community as the lead or co-lead in projects such as : Women's Nude Body Painting Retreats (solunamedicines.com/bodypaint), Food & Form (gazettenet.com/food-and-form-aug-2024-56604987), and Winter Warmth Art Retreat (winterwarmth.info). She has held supporting roles in projects such as Touch & Play MA 2024 (ma.touchandplay.org) and Forest & Village 2024 (forestandvillage.org). As a visual artist, writer, performer, and musician Elemental Existence will showcase the multifaceted natured of Chantelle’s creative expression. There is an abundance of joy and excitement when it comes to this project! Thank you for being here.

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Photo by Dan Little at Flora & Fromage: A Botanical Exhibition and Cheese Lounge Experience held by Coco Bustin --  project manager for Elemental Existence.

Coco holds background in Fine Arts from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University. As a nature-based artist, she work as a floral designer and event facilitator, aiming to showcase the natural world through the lens of art. Coco believe in creating spaces where participants can activate their most authentic, creative, and curious selves. She has directed events like, Food and Form, and Flora and Fromage, and co-hosted workshops with Chantelle Castaño, including the Women’s Nude Body Painting Series, and The Artist's Way Series. Additionally, Coco & Chan taken their creative work overseas to an artists retreat in Guatemala. They have done some really cool things together and are very proud + incredibly excited for what's to come with Elemental Existence!

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Coco's work is available for viewing at Botanicoco.com