Muses In Motion: When Art Becomes a Call to Community

Christina Miles
Sep 25
4 min read

We’re still reflecting on the Muses In Motion experience, which transformed Croo Studios on Saturday, September 13. If we had to capture it in three words: help, community, and hope.

This wasn’t your typical art show. Presented by multidisciplinary artist and fashion designer Nikki Styles, Muses In Motion built on her 2024 exhibition “Muses in Mother Nature.” It was more than a showcase—it was a social experiment and a collective call to action. Nikki invited us to see beauty in struggle while reminding us to show up for one another on our journeys.

Croo Studios (shoutout to the home team!) offered the perfect setting for an intimate night of conversation and community. Things opened with a laid-back mixer, where guests connected, explored the studio, and experienced Nikki’s installations featuring her signature textile techniques like yarn work and quilting. Nikki shared, “The contained dreamer…This box was curated with love. My sons helped me paste the granny squares and assemble the box. Jasmine Jimenez [@_2jazzy4u] donated granny squares and box assembly. Thomas Ferguson [@tommi_lee] assisted with box assembly.”

One of the largest works on display was a massive community blanket, stitched from contributions of local Fayetteville brands, organizations, and individuals Nikki collaborates with or admires. She explained,

“The Quilt (Muse of Community) Stitched from many hands, this blanket is proof that no one survives alone. Even when you don't see it, someone in your community has covered you, lifted you, carried a piece of your weight. Each square represents a gift, a gesture, a reminder that love multiplies when shared. The Quilt is more than fabric-it is community made visible, community made tangible.”'

After the mixer, the main presentation began. A short film projected onto the studio wall gave glimpses of the Black experience, setting the tone. Then, one by one, Nikki introduced each Muse, giving just enough context for the audience to interpret the symbolism for themselves:

The Burden-Bearer (Muse of Baggage)

"I carry the weight of what was-broken promises, fractured love, old wounds that never asked my permission to stay. Some bags I chose, others were handed to me. At times they feel like they fit together, but in truth they are only layers of heaviness. Still, I lift them, still I move. My baggage is not my ending; it is proof that I have survived what tried to break me." -Muse: Alyse

"The Reflector (Muse of Perspective)

"I am only revealed in fragments. A glimpse here, a sliver there-never the full picture at once. You must come close, you must lean in, to truly see me. Perspective is not given freely; it shifts with distance, with light, with effort. The truth of who we are is never whole in the quick glance-it lives in the details we take the time to notice." -Muse: K-Rav

The Contained Dreamer (Muse of the Box)

"I have been boxed in by others, and I have built boxes for myself. Isolation can be prison and it can be sanctuary-sometimes I crave it, sometimes I ache to escape it. Through the windows, the world can see me, and I can see them, yet still there are walls. My box is wrapped in color, stitched with scraps of who I am, lit from the inside by dreams that refuse to die. Even contained, I am still creating." -Muse: Shamonique

The Radiant (Muse of Joy)

"Joy is my natural state-bright, warm, and overflowing. It shows up in my smile, my laughter, my hugs, my light. When joy is missing, you feel the absence, but when it's here, it's undeniable. The Radiant reminds us that happiness is not something we stumble upon-it's who we are when we finally let ourselves shine". -Muse: Deandra

The Release (Muse of Letting Go) "To grow, you must first release. Letting go is not weakness—it is the courage to open your hands and make space for what's next. This muse invites you into that moment of surrender. What do you want to let go of?Write it down, name it, and leave it behind.Freedom begins where we stop carrying what no longer serves us." -Muse: Dani

The Bloom (Muse of Growth)

"After release comes renewal. Growth is the proof that letting go makes room for life to flourish. This muse is rooted in flowers, greenery, and fruit-reminders that beauty multiplies when it's nurtured. Take a piece with you: a fruit, a cutting, a flower. Growth is not meant to be hoarded; it is meant to be shared." -Muse: Nevaeh"

The Flame (Muse of Anger)

"Anger is heavy, and too often Black men are left to carry it alone. This muse wrestles with the weight, pushing against what threatens to crush him. His struggle asks a question of everyone watching: Did you help, or did you just witness? We are not meant to shoulder fury in isolation. Sometimes lifting anger requires more than one pair of hands." -Muse: Xpress the Artist

The Phoenix (Muse of Rebirth)

"I have walked through fire and come out whole. l've died a thousand small deaths, shedding the skins of who l used to be, only to rise again brighter, stronger, undeniable.Each season brings a new becoming-another chance to stand taller, more radiant, more glorious. Rebirth is not just survival, it's transformation." -Muse: Juicy Ma

The showcase was interactive, and the audience became part of the art. Some Muses asked for help, some turned it away, and others searched for the right words. Guests carried literal baggage, lifted weights, shared their own stories of letting go, and offered support—physically, verbally, and emotionally.

The night was unforgettable, a true “you had to be there” experience. From FAYNC Mag to Nikki Styles, we’re giving flowers for your artistry, your emotional honesty, and your unwavering commitment to building community while keeping it real.

Follow Nikki to stay tapped in, shop her headdresses and merch, and stream her music. Whatever she creates next, trust it’s going to move you.