Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jessica Molnar. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jessica thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Shortly after graduating from college and getting married, my husband Geoff and I decided to move from the SF Bay Area to Washington state. We were living in an Airstream trailer in an industrial yard in Richmond, CA in between an oil refinery and a pcb cap. Definitely not where we wanted to start a family. Lol. Over the course of the next year, we made several scouting trips to WA. Geoff had an old America’s Cup yacht that was in the yard of our “compound” and after trying in vain to sell it, ended up scrapping the 64′ aluminum boat. When we were finally ready to make our move, we had nearly exhausted our resources. We had a place lined up where we could park the Airstream and $1,000. We made the move and shortly after arriving in WA we found work and a house to rent. It was a pretty dicey decision, but it worked out for the best!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’m Jessica Molnar, a Fine Artist, Surface Pattern Designer, and Certified Online Business Manager. One of the defining moments in my career was back in high school when I was getting ready to graduate…with no clue what to do next! Almost on a whim, I chose art school in San Francisco.

I graduated in 2006 and quickly became aware of all the things art school did not teach! I’ve been in a DIY MBA program ever since. In 2017 I began supporting fellow creatives as a VA. In 2022 became Certified as an OBM. During that time, I have continued to develop my studio practice, creating mixed-media fine art and designing pattern collections for home decor.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There are so many things; it’s really hard to pick just one! Living a creative life checks a lot of boxes for me: raising a kid in a creative home is incredibly fun, and satisfying; connecting with fellow artists is a huge joy; and as a kooky Artist, I have the freedom to be self-defined.  Perhaps my very favorite thing is when I’m in the studio working and I get into the flow state where time stands still, synchronicities happen and I’ve discovered something or surprised myself.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

For a long time, I really struggled with trying to find a sense of community. I tried to connect with local groups in-person with not much luck. I found a lot of professional arts organizations to be, um… unorganized, and the indie gallery scene kind of pretentious. Out of desperation, at one point I did an internet search for “online mastermind for artists” and found THRIVE (now called Thrive Together Network) and the clouds parted! I found exactly the community I’d been wistfully longing for and have made some very dear friends all over the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://odd-duck-press.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odd.duck.press/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-molnar-2191881a2/
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/OddDuckPress/