About the artist

Hello, I’m Molly.

I grew up in Washington’s Columbia River Gorge outside Portland, Oregon and for many years lived in Ridgefield, Connecticut, but recently returned to the the Gorge.

I take inspiration from these beautiful places, but the connection between environment and art isn’t always obvious. I cannot improve upon nature, but I enjoy playing games with what I see. What begins as a recognizable thing like a tree or a person might be reduced to a color, a particular shape or group of lines.

Appreciation for the work of other artists brings another important element and gives me some context for my own experiments.  I have special admiration for the work of Egon Schiele, Joan Mitchell, Helen Frankenthaler and Arshile Gorky.

There is also inspiration in the process. The improvisation and experimentation involved in rendering a recognizable subject abstractly or making a purely (non-objective) abstract image is energizing.  Last but not least, the paint itself is inviting. I love the luscious, buttery consistency and the mud-pie fun of stirring it all together.