Molly Rice’s art is an expression of dreams, life, love, and laughter.
Molly Rice was born in Kansas and lived many places as a child. One experience she remembers was life-changing. A deaf mute, Signe Larson, from Lindsborg, Kansas, was an artist that performed with her sister. Signe drew in chalk, while her sister told a story, and that made an impression on Molly. Signe gifted some of her work to Molly’s father, a Lutheran minister. Signe’s influence must have been Birger Sandzen, and the trees in both their paintings rooted in Molly because she has always loved trees.
During her early life and marriage, Molly’s art was realistic watercolors and still life. A self-taught artist, her pursuit in college related to art and fashion design. Although, Molly’s first love was calligraphy and lettering, and that turned into advertising graphic art in the pre-computer years.
Molly worked with the Colfax, Washington school system when her children were young. “I was hired by several grade school teachers to teach art, and also worked with ‘problem’ students teaching art. During that time, I offered private art lessons to children.”
Molly appreciates the beauty of the world and adores design and photography. She is drawn to jobs or hobbies in design or landscape, so all the signs are there.
“I’m deeply influenced by all of nature, dreams, spirit, myth, magic, story and humor. I have a preoccupation with texture, color, emotions, shapes and how to combine it all and release my inner expressions: ‘the pictures in my head’ onto canvas, paper or fibers.”
The term for Molly’s ability is clairvoyant. She is also skilled and trained in art, design, spiritual consultations, energy/healing work, Reiki Master, herbal/wild crafting and preparations.
“My work is VERY abstract, full of imaginary/illusionary/ symbolic ideas. I often hear, ‘I don’t get it,’ when it comes to my art. It’s okay! I just paint what I am inspired to paint. It’s the illusion more than anything.”
Molly loves pen and inks, acrylics, and combining acrylic with assemblage pieces. Her work is often an experiment to see what works, and how to utilize bits and pieces into the work.
Currently her focus is on the ‘Portal Paintings’ how to capture the energy flows she senses/feels/experiences and apply them to a canvas or board. She uses handcrafted papers into her art. Recycling and reusing is important to Molly. She would take the junk mail and put it into the blender. New paper was the result.
The art on her gallery will make sense after learning about Molly. Her art is earthy, yet classic. Simple, but speaks a thousand words. Basic sophistication. “I desire to reawaken the sleeping spirit of child that is within all, also that wee bit of mystery,” says Molly.
One awful day in 1998 the clairvoyance stopped. Molly was in a head- on crash and suffered a concussion. She couldn’t execute calligraphy, and she was confused. She could tie one boot and couldn’t tie the other. She dedicated herself to her trees and worked hard at that. Then the veiled lifted, and her journey forward began.
In the early 2000s she started a tree education program for the Colfax Elementary 2nd grade students. She read them books, talked about the importance of trees and planted trees in a city park.
Molly’s solo art show at The Center located next to the Whitman County Library was held January – March 2018 and was a huge success.
Find out more about Molly Rice and her amazing creations here: https://www.thejourneyforward.com/
