Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Stoddard

Hi Christine, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

All in all, I’m following dreams many people told me weren’t possible. Right now, I find myself making films, performing, writing, and exhibiting my art. Along the way, Brooklyn Magazine named me one of its top 50 Most Fascinating People, Ms. Magazine chose me as a “Ms. Muse,” and I even became a Miss Subways finalist for the kitschiest pageant I’ve ever seen. I’m running Quail Bell Press & Productions, the creative studio for most of my projects, and co-hosting the comedy TV show Don’t Mind If I Don’t with Aaron Gold. This fall, I will be starting the MS in Documentary Film at Columbia University Journalism School.

My body of work has spanned books, plays, films and videos, paintings, and other imaginings. Some of my best-known projects include the talk show Badass Lady-Folk, the play “Mi Abuela, Queen of Nightmares” (now at 10K views on YouTube @stoddardsays), the comedy act Art B*tch, and the short story collection Desert Fox by the Sea. Organizations like Support Creativity, the New York Transit Museum, Brooklyn Poets, The Players Theatre, the Broadway Comedy Club, and the Foundation for Contemporary Arts have all given me heart emojis, literally or figuratively.

I got where I am today thanks to a lot of bullying, strange eating habits, and discipline. It’s a journey that morphed from shame and self-loathing to heaps of self-love. I finally believe that I am enough and that my happiness is a priority.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

Not by any means. I am still walking the road and hopefully will be for another half century or longer. Life is meant to have its ups and downs. Anyone who tells you otherwise hasn’t lived enough of it. But I will say that anytime I have taken a big risk, it’s been worth it.

I recently came back from a one-week artist residency in Antigua Guatemala and several people asked why I bothered going there. Wasn’t it dangerous? Wouldn’t it be inconvenient or boring? There are still lots of generalizations about the so-called Third World. For me, it was a chance to get in touch with my Central American roots. I got to travel with the safety net of a local, on-site residency coordinator who was also a working artist but still be self-directed and maintain autonomy over my schedule. I hadn’t quite had anything like that before and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Every time you do something interesting, people are going to question you about it. Moving past their doubt can be a struggle, but if you have confidence and self-love, you will ultimately do what’s right for you.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

I’ve had the opportunity to do many creative things, with these skills and experiences congealing for my current work in film and performance. I most often wear the hats of writer/director, performer, and art director. One film I’m proud of lately is my short “Uncontested,” which has gotten about 5K views on YouTube @StoddardSays. It’s an artsy rom com about a young divorcee who moves into a sublet and continues her paper-making process while awaiting her divorce papers in the mail. I’ve been told that the film has both poetic and playful elements, which are words often used to describe my work. I’m seriously playful. (That’s to borrow a phrase from a course I took at Columbia called Serious Play: Oral History and the Art of Storytelling.) This style and vision is what sets me apart from others.

That’s one of the reasons I’m so happy to co-host and develop Don’t Mind If I Don’t with Aaron Gold. I play the part of the level-headed, overly educated, and accomplished partner who can still take a joke. He plays the goofball or, as he sometimes calls it, “the happy idiot.” Except in this show, he’s often rather grumpy! He doesn’t like things and fans and experts have to convince him why he’s wrong. Shockingly, they often succeed. For anyone who adores comedy and a good debate, this show is for you. Find it on YouTube @DontMindTheShow.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?

I’m fairly introverted naturally but I’ve learned to put myself out there and form genuine connections. It’s important to treat people as people, not simply a means to an end. Anytime I feel someone treat me as the latter, it’s a huge turnoff! I’m a fan of going to mixers as I can, making time for conferences, sending handwritten notes and cards, emailing folks to check in, and using social media platforms, especially Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.worldofchristinestoddard.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stoddardsays
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stoddardsays
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/stoddardsays
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/stoddardsays