Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Storch.
Hi Emma, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Mike Stasny was moving out of his former studio about 4 years ago – it was recently post-covid. Although his plan was to retire from “BIG” art, he was asked be the creative director at Underground Atlanta, and to move his studio to this location. This new art studio was supposed to be a 3-month activation, for the duration of a Banksy exhibition happening on the property. The goal was to do anything creative that amused him, and as he puts it “I just wanted to make the 12-year-old version of myself really happy.” So, he quickly activated the space with ridiculousness, and was inspired to create more BIG art. Originally titled “MIKE STASNY SELLS THE PRODUCTS YOU NEED” (this sign still exists) it turned into MOM SAID IT’S FINE (a riff on the way Mike Stasny signs his name with the letters M.S.I.F).
After 2 years of constant creation, the word got out that the arts scene was becoming stronger in our neck of the woods. Larger and crazier exhibitions, music showcases, artistic programming – all of it was headed to our studio – the place where anything can happen. Mike then happened upon Emma Storch, who took on the operations of the studio and the day-to-day ever changing art curation. Julian Lee took over the audio/visual side of things…Cut to today, we now offer a professional, one-of-a-kind creative experience in an authentically DIY environment. And it’s always weirder and wackier than your last visit.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road of constant creation always has its challenges – the question for us has remained “what can this space be?” We’ve learned just where we love to be on the line between a professional and DIY venue – especially as the events and exhibitions become wilder, we began to require a team! Whereas Mike took on the role of door guy, bartender, sound engineer for 2 years of the studio’s life, now there is a crew that truly “gets it”.
MSIF prioritizes staying “precocious” above all. There really is no good or bad, just an abundance of curiosity with how absurd we can get – while still qualifying as a business…ha!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Answering as the “entity” MOM SAID ITS FINE, we are professionally “ourselves.” There are loose titles and positions we seem to fall into, and those change rapidly. Mike creates art that inhabits the space using found materials like broken chairs, inflatables, 500 cardboard boxes, whatever suits the vision. Emma curates the studio in an ever-changing fashion to elevate a wide variety of showcases. MSIF specializes in art exhibitions, music, film, and fashion, offering an immersive and inclusive environment for creative expression. The creatives that come into the space act as collaborators in the collective experience! Mike and Emma’s vision is geared towards how people interact with the art, through the many purposes the studio takes on each night. Our motivation is the never-ending question, “what can this space be?”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://momsaiditsfine.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/momsaiditsfine
Image Credits
Gustavo Escalona
Xander B.
Gorp
