Molly is a self-taught jewelry, mixed-media and mosaic artist, and is the owner and designer of Miss Molly’s Designs. Here jewelry designs have been published in such publications as Bead Trends, Belle Armoire Jewelry, Jewellery Magazine and Jewelry Affaire, and can be found in public and private collections around the world.
Each of Molly’s pieces are created lovingly in her home workshop, incorporating copper, silver, glass, resin and natural stones with wire, fiber and found objects, resulting in unique, one-of-a-kind designs. Molly continues to push herself artistically, learning new techniques and working with exciting new materials whenever she can to keep her designs distinctive and current.
She lives with her husband, college-aged son and their little dog in Goodyear, AZ, where she volunteers in her community as a youth and marriage mentor through her church, as well as helps her husband run a non-profit youth lacrosse league which they founded together 8 years ago.
Molly leads a full and blessed life that she wouldn’t trade for the world, and is grateful for every day that she is able to create.
______________________________________________________________
Getting To Know Me
(interview from Touch Jewelry):
For those of you who don't already know you, can you please describe the type of work that you do?
I am a self-taught jewelry, mosaic and mixed-media artist.
Are you a full time artist or is it a second job for you?
I am blessed to be able to work full-time on my artwork from my home workshop.
When did you start making handmade pieces?
I’ve been seriously creating jewelry for about twelve years now. I really started when I would go shopping and look at the jewelry in stores and think, "I could make that". So I started making jewelry for myself to go with different outfits. Since then, I have taught myself many different techniques using all kinds of mediums.
Where did you learn how to make handmade supplies?
I started picking up the trade magazines (Belle Armoire Jewelry, Stringing Magazine, Step-By-Step Wire Jewelry to name a few) and books (Silver Wire Fusing by Liz Jones and Semiprecious Salvage by Stephanie Lee were two books that were very influential) and became fascinated by artists who made their own components. I realized that I could dictate the overall tone of a piece of jewelry with my handmade components instead of having to rely on what I could find in the stores or online. I was also captivated by the organic, antique look of etched metals and found objects included in pieces, and realized that there really are no rules to follow when creating. That thought alone set me free to create whatever I wanted to create, and led me to making my own findings.
What is your favorite medium to work with and why?
I don’t really have a favorite medium, as my preferences will usually change with the seasons in my life. I could work with glass all day, fusing it or soldering it – it doesn’t matter - as I love the depth and character it adds to any kind of artwork.
Working with metals - particularly copper – is very rewarding as well as metals are so versatile. I can create very formal-looking jewelry or very organic, beat-up looking jewelry, and everything in between.
What method(s) do you use?
I generally don’t methodically plan out a piece of jewelry ahead of time. A design idea usually crashes into my head and I have to start putting it together before I can see the finished piece. Sometimes it comes out like the idea in my head, and sometimes not, and that’s just fine with me. I am definitely a tactile learner and creator.
What would you call your style?
As with the mediums I work in, my style tends to change with the seasons in my life. In general, I would say that I have more of an organic feel to my pieces: imperfect lines and old, antiqued metals figure prominently.
Asymmetry is very pleasing to my eye, which makes balance and continuity key factors in my jewelry designs as well. I like to create designs that draw the eye through the piece using color and texture.
How has your work developed throughout the years?
More than anything, as I learn new techniques, I am able to incorporate more depth into each piece I make. I have grown less concerned with pleasing other people with my artwork, and have learned to rely on my instincts more and more. This has led to a more confident, finished quality to my pieces.
9. Did you ever feel like giving up?
No – I can’t imagine not being an artist. It is so much more that something I do; it is absolutely who I am.
10. What advice do you have for aspiring jewelry artists?
Find out what holds your artistic interest and don’t be concerned what other people will think about it. Being an artist is all about experiencing life and assimilating that experience into your artwork. Each piece you create is a manifestation of a small slice – a few footsteps along the path of your journey. Never underestimate the value of your own story, and don’t ever be afraid to share it with others.
Personal Statement:
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, graduated from the University of Washington with a BA in English, and met my husband of 19 years in my senior year. We've lived all over the country, and have settled here in Arizona with our teenage son and our dog. We are very invested in our local community through coaching youth lacrosse, youth mentoring through our church, and being a foster family.
I’ve been creating for as long as I can remember, and have worked with many different mediums: stained glass, fused glass, mosaics, and painting, to name a few. What I love about designing jewelry is that it allows me to take all of these skills that I’ve learned and use them, sometimes individually, and sometimes more than one in a single piece. Inspiration can come from anywhere: nature, art, texture or words and poetry. Telling a story with a piece of jewelry is something I love to challenge myself with.
I design mainly with copper and glass, but also use silver and brass here and there. The warmth and versatility of copper pulls me back again and again. In addition, I love incorporating found and reclaimed objects into my designs. My heart jumps wildly when I look down and see an old rusty washer or nail or piece of metal, and I immediately start thinking of how I can somehow transform it into something beautiful. Seeing past what something is to imagine what it could become is a passion of mine, and one that I try to live out every day through my art. I am drawn to objects that have a story to tell. Shiny and new can be beautiful, but aged and worn is so much more appealing. I’m certain that is why patina and texture figure prominently in the jewelry I create. I want to make pieces that are tactile and interesting and are pleasing to the senses.
With techniques, I am not so much of a rule follower as I am a rule breaker and ignorer. I am a firm advocate of trial and error and of making mistakes, as most of them turn out to be happy surprises. Asymmetry is very pleasing to my eye, which makes balance and continuity key factors in my jewelry designs as well. I like to create designs that draw the eye through the piece using color and texture.
I have a full and blessed life that I wouldn’t trade for the world. I am grateful for every day that I am able to create, and I continue to push myself artistically, learning new techniques and working with exciting new materials whenever I can.