Creative Backstory Podcast with the Malta Creative Collective

In this episode, we caught up with curator and cultural manager, Elyse Tonna, who had just placed the finishing touches on two projects that she had overseen the curation of in Valletta. We discover what lies beyond her curatorial approach, sharing a light-hearted yet also deep conversation that lends an insight into her personal and creative journey.

We step into the studio and personal space of contemporary artist, Emma Fsadni. With an eclectic upbringing that saw her living across countries as diverse as Australia and Belgium, Emma has infused her distinct life experiences into her creativity that reflects a minimal and condensed aesthetic.

We dive into the work of multi-disciplinary creative, Gordon Calleja, who seamlessly bridges his creativity across fields as diverse as boardgame design, writing, and academia. The themes of his works tend to explore the darker aspects of our subconscious: love gone bad, revenge, otherness and human extinction, and in this pod episode, we take a closer look at what makes Gordon tick.

For the sixth episode of our Creative Backstory podcast, we had made arrangements back in February with emerging and highly talented artist Anna Calleja to record our conversation so as to coincide its release with the unveiling of her first solo show, Homebound. The pandemic, however, had other plans.While Anna’s exhibition ran for for a week from its launch date of 4th March at the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta, the sudden heightening of restrictions island-wide meant her show had to be wrapped up ahead of time. Nevertheless, we managed to drop by on its opening day - and what we saw was nothing short of astonishing creative talent.Tune into this episode and listen to Anna's own journey that took the darkness of these last few months and shaped it into a time of personal growth and light.

In this fifth episode, we're joined by painter Madeleine Fenwick, who has made Malta her home since moving here back in 2014. A highly experimental creative, she revels in the use of oil paints, and in this light yet fascinating conversation, we covered everything from Napoleon Bonaparte and paper shortage in the time of pandemics, to intellectual masturbation.Catch a glimpse of her creative process from her Valletta studio's rooftop at https://maltacreativecollective.com/news-and-notes/2021/2/26/creative-backstory-podcast-ep-5-with-madeleine-fenwick.

In episode 4, illustrator Craig Macdonald joins us on our podcast couch and opens up for an honest conversation on all things creative and body-hair related (oh yes, that's how honest it got). While Craig may be better known for his illustrative work and aesthetic - particularly through the instantly-recognisable prints that have emerged from the Te fit-Tazza studio since 2015 - his reserved demeanour hides an eclectic diversity of interests and perspectives that made for a fascinating conversation. Head to https://maltacreativecollective.com/news-and-notes/2021/1/30/creative-backstory-podcast-ep-4-with-craig-macdonald to read the full story and to catch a glimpse into a day in the life of Craig.Discover Craig's work for Te fit-Tazza at https://www.tefittazza.com/.

For this third episode, we caught up with interdisciplinary creative Andrew Borg Wirth, whose work lies at the intersection of design, art, fashion and styling. While his professional formation is that of an architect, Andrew has harnessed his design eye and skills and applied them cross-sectionally, weaving his distinct aesthetic across a broad spectrum of industries that lie outside of the pure-architecture field. Head to https://maltacreativecollective.com/news-and-notes/2021/1/8/creative-backstory-podcast-ep-3-with-andrew-borg-wirth to view Andrew's world.

Episode 2 sees architects Patty and Steve Risiott join our podcast mic for a lighthearted and laughter-filled chat (we admit that wine had something to do with it). The founding partners of design studio A Collective, Patty and Steve transpose their way of life into their way of creating - all defined by a love for the meticulously made, a balanced aesthetic, and the beauty of life lived both within Malta and far-flung lands.Read the full article and catch a glimpse of their creative process behind-the-scenes at https://maltacreativecollective.com/news-and-notes/2020/12/19/creative-backstory-podcast-ep-2-with-a-collective.

We're thrilled to have designer and fashion label founder Saz Mifsud join us as our guest for this first episode of Creative Backstory. What's your greatest fear? What's your motto? These are just a couple of the 15 questions that we'll be asking Saz, drawn from the Proust Questionnaire, as we sit down for a raw and spontaneous conversation designed to uncover the creative behind the brand.For a visual glimpse into Saz's creative process and brand, head to https://maltacreativecollective.com/news-and-notes/2020/11/26/creative-backstory-podcast-ep-1-with-saz-mifsud.