Mollie has been actively painting for the past five years after retiring from a twenty six year career in the commercial architecture and design field. Mollie holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interior Design from The George Washington University at Mount Vernon College and was a founding partner of LyrixDesign, Inc., a small woman-owned business providing architecture and interior design services for commercial offices, the government and the retail sector..
In addition to filling as much of her time as possible with painting, Mollie is a founding member and president of Great Falls Foundation for the Arts, a 501c3 non-profit arts organization which provides opportunities for art enthusiasts to experience and celebrate the many ways art enriches our lives and our community. Located in Great Falls, VA, the foundation is visible through three primary programs, The Great Falls School of Art, the Artists’ Atelier working studios, and The GFFFTA Art Gallery. Mollie is a founding member of the Artists Atelier working artist studios, a collaborative art studio housing 14 artists in Great Falls, VA.
Mollie has studied art with Rob Vander Zee at the VanderZee School of Painting for the past three years. She has also participated in numerous workshops with teachers such as Robert Liberace, Maggie Siner, Sara Linda Poly, and Robert Johnson, as well as taking classes at the Art League in Alexandria and the Rehoboth Art League in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Mollie firmly believes that art education should be an important element of an artist throughout their career and looks forward to continuing studies with Rob VanderZee and others for years to come.
Mollie is a member of the Vander Zee Gallery Painters, www.vanderzeegallerypainters.com, a member of Great Falls Studios, a vibrant community of 85 artists living or working in Great Falls, VA, www.greatfallsstudios.com, a member of Oil Painters of America, and a member of the Rehoboth Art League in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Mollie is also an active volunteer and supporter of McLean Project for the Arts, in McLean, VA.
Mollie’s first solo show, Artful Places, Paintings celebrating the beauty of Provence, France and Great Falls, VA, was held the month of April at Katie’s Coffee House, Great Falls, VA. Mollie will also be having a show with Atelier studio mate Adrienne Kralick for the month of August through Labor Day, 2009 at AerieArt Gallery in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Mollie will also be participating in the distinguished MPA ArtFest held on October 5th, 2009 in McLean, VA. Mollie has also participated in many group exhibits including multiple shows at The VanderZee Gallery,the GFFFTA Gallery, the Annual Great Falls Studios Tour 2006 to present, A Year of Painting Together, Artists’ Atelier Group Show held at The Great Falls Library, 2007. Awards include the Tatnall School Distinguished Alumni Award, 2008, and Top Twenty-Five Woman-owned Businesses in the DC Area for Lyrix Design, 2000 and 2001 by The Washington Business Journal.
Please feel free to visit Mollie in her studio at the Artists Atelier , 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA or visit her website at www.mollievardellart.com.
Artist’s Statement
I have always been drawn to art and creating things. Starting out as an art major in college, I switched majors and enjoyed a fulfilling career in interior architecture and design. After retiring from the field about five years ago, my love of art has come full circle to art and oil painting in particular. The process of painting for me is a journey. It takes me out of my day-to-day routine and absorbs me in entirety. It brings passion and joy with plenty of frustration mixed in for good measure. It makes me stretch. It makes me grow. And it is a constant challenge. Every day is different.
While initially starting off with still life as my subject, my current painting is focused on the landscape. After a trip to France in the fall of 2006, I became entranced by the images of the French villages and countryside. Upon my return I painted my first landscape, “Cezanne’s Atelier” where I tried to render the building’s rustic texture, the lush greenery, the interesting shadow patterns, and the dappled light. Next I completed about seven other works representing beautiful places in France that touched me. I realized then that I must be totally captivated by a subject before I can paint it with passion. I also realized that I am lucky to be a painter because I better appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. I look harder, I stop to appreciate. Then I wonder how I could possibly convey this beauty on a canvas.
My goals are to continue to paint landscapes that represent the beauty around us. I want to pursue a looser, more impressionistic style and continue to develop paintings with great light and interesting shadow patterns. I want to further develop my skills in a new technique I developed for rendering sky with a vigorous brush stroke and lightness that I call confetti. I want to further my art education because an artist needs to be continually challenged. I also believe there is so much to be learned from the masters and look forward to spending much time in museums. Winston Churchill was an accomplished artist as well as a statesman, and he so compassionately writes, “Painting is a companion with whom one may walk a great part of life’s journey”. My journey into art continues.
