In the halls of the Strand - our murals

Jun 6

By Mollie Ward, Clay Studio Manager and resident mural artist

Painting murals has become an important part of my art practice, merging my illustration and drawing practice with my commitment to sharing art with my community. Illustration was my first love and it feels special to come back to this part of my art. My personal art practice often feels divorced from my work teaching ceramics or managing the Clay Studio at the Strand. Along these lines, exhibiting my work is rewarding but isn’t a consistent way to engage with my community. I am committed to sharing my love and passion for the arts and painting murals has become the perfect vehicle.

I began painting murals at the Strand because I was tired of looking at boring concrete block walls in the basement where the Clay Studio is. After painting that hallway, Megan and I started brainstorming wayfinding ideas for our building, an old building made up of hallways and twists and turns. The wayfinding project prioritized creating a welcoming space with clear directions to find your way around. I was also tasked with beginning a mural, using our driving phrase, “Art is for Everyone” as a starting point for a mural painting summer camp. The kiddos then took that concept and ran with it, filling out the rest of the wall.

*My idea: as artists, we have to let our art and passion out of our hearts.*

These are the last two and probably the most “me” designs I’ve done here at the Strand. The first design began as I was thinking about how, as artists, we have to let our art and passion out of our hearts. The Strand champions so many different mediums and ways to connect with the arts and I wanted to illustrate that. The final mural design (currently underway) grew out of an appreciation for collage. The phrase “create your world” had been knocking around in my head and I imagined a moment where we as artists in community can help shape the world we want to live in.

*“Create your world” mural in progress.*

In addition to the joy I feel from the act of painting, murals are a way I can support and connect with my community. I don’t often have money to donate to organizations or causes I believe in but painting murals for folks doing important work means I can offer something in lieu of money. Murals can help cement an organization's vision or mission or can simply enliven a space.

This is a mural I recently finished at the JCEO Food Bank in downtown Plattsburgh. The concept for this design was community and creating a warm and inviting space for folks. Being able to help this vital community organization create a space that felt comfortable and less clinical was an exciting prospect. Stylistically I love hands and food, this design was a fun combination of the two.

Last summer I painted a mural on a shipping container in Burlington VT for Village Hydroponics, a small hydroponics farm prioritizing food justice and community access to good food, year round. Nour El-Naboulsi, the Executive Director, gave me the direction to include culturally diverse foods, illustrating foods recognizable to Burlington’s new Americans. This project was so meaningful, not only was I enjoying time outdoors doing what I love, I was adding art to an already vibrant community and supporting friends doing important work and advocacy.