Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Pearce.
Hi Molly, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Born in Virginia Beach, VA, moved around the south a lot as a kid but ended up in Atlanta by middle school. I was always making art and wanted to go to art school for college. I went to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York to study fine art and photography and returned to Atlanta to find my place as an artist. I found I preferred painting to photography and began meeting other painters and painting live at events around the city. I’ve been doing that for 20 years now and am now a studio artist that has been exhibited all over the city. I do large interior murals for businesses and individuals and curate large group shows with multiple artists. I make large-scale paintings about many aspects of the human experience using a variety of media and materials.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Working towards becoming a full-time artist has definitely been a struggle and I am still in the process. Art studios are expensive and unpredictable, clientele come and go, opportunities are sometimes sparse, and I have had to keep up other part-time jobs to supplement my income. I am trying to raise a couple of kids as a single mom, pay our bills, and forge a successful art career at the same time.
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?
There are definitely some reoccurring themes in my artwork that I continue to revisit but I don’t hesitate to stray from these themes if inspired to do so. I have a large series of work that I’ve been adding to for over ten years that is created entirely on road/traffic signs and apparatuses. The premise is what if signs expressed more than just road warnings and directionals. Some of the signs are comical and clever, some have a thoughtful tone, some are just aesthetic, and some have a darker tone but they are beautifully painted and preserved with an epoxy coating. I also create original book sets from my paintings and hand-painted furniture. My live paintings are usually about the energy of the moment or something that has been on my mind. I use a variety of media and materials; acrylic, oil, and spray paint on canvas or wood with some collage. Women and the feminine are addressed a lot. The creative use of color is also something I’m proud of. Most of my paintings are also created with the use of fluorescent paint and glow-under blacklights.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can purchase my work or hire me for a mural job first of all. They can hire me to paint live at their events. Also, they can follow me on instagram and Facebook and attend my events. I collaborate with a lot of artists, musicians, and event coordinators. I’m easy to find, all my contact info and social media accounts are listed on my website, www.mollymoll.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mollymoll.com
- Instagram: @mollymoll30
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MollyMollRhodes?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Twitter: @mollymollp
