We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Molly Golson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Molly below.
Molly, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
Sooner! about 36 years sooner, to be exact. I would have benefited from four solid years of learning the basics and technical aspects of the craft, gotten professional feedback and support and had a degree in Art. Instead, I took a meandering path, marriage, divorce, two other careers and then a very late entrance into what I knew I wanted to do and be my whole life.
Molly, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
That first question, “Do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?”, really hits home. I’ve loved creating art for as long as I can remember. I spent many a recess in school sitting and drawing, or hanging out in art class to finish a challenging project. I started college at age 17, with a major in graphic design, but I dropped out less than a year later. I imagine I would have changed my major to fine arts if I had stayed the course, but I was not emotionally mature enough to overcome personal challenges that ended my first try at becoming an artist. After a failed marriage, yet another attempt at college, this time in music composition, I finally graduated as a single parent of a 5-year old, with a nursing degree. I was an ER nurse for 13 years, then in Health Information Technology sales for 20 years. Finally, at the age of 57, I quit my job to become an artist.
The first two years were short on art creation due to taking care of sick parents. Then along came COVID. I know, excuses and bellybuttons…
Now I paint, sculpt and create a variety of art, in truth, as often as I choose to. Life is still very busy, and I choose to participate in a lot of non-art related time. I do something of art nearly every day. I paint in watercolor and acrylic, do ink drawings and texture studies, make hanging window art, sculpt some and even do photography. I love nature and textures and everyday scenes. The best thing about being an artist is when others see what I see in a painting or drawing- so much that they want it in their home. It brings me great satisfaction to know someone might be walking past a painting of mine in their home, and maybe stop to enjoy a glance now and then. There is so much beauty in the world, and it is a privilege to share my interpretation of it with others.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
Recently, I took part in an outdoor artisan fair at a local indoor/outdoor restaurant. We had a steady stream of folks coming by, looking for unique gifts and finds. One couple bought one of my small paintings to add to their collection of Texas artists. They travelled all over Texas, and everywhere they stayed, they would try to purchase a local piece of art directly from the artist. They asked me to sign and date the back, to help them remember the town and their trip. What a wonderful way to support local art! Here are a few more thoughts-
Support and attend local art fairs
Make art a BIG DEAL in schools
Provide a physical place to local artists to gather to create and sell art
Feature local artists on social media and newspapers
Consider local art for your new home, your old home, gifts
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Especially when I am writing a song, (my other major love- music). I NEED to be alone. I mean REALLY alone. That means my husband needs to be gone, not just outside. LOL He says I can play the piano anytime he’s here. But he doesn’t understand I CAN’T write a new song until he leaves. It’s hard to explain, but true, deep, concentrative solitude takes place only when there is no possibility of anyone interrupting in the middle of the 40th time I play a phrase, or mid-painting when I am trying to get the light right, the color right. When time, day, season and outside thoughts are gone, and the only thing in front of you is what you are creating. It’s an almost magical place, only achievable when you can turn off time and tune out the physical world around you that is not directly involved in your art.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Molly M Golson, LLC