Molly Supplee’s beautiful, sustainable works
Layers of linen, and repurposed coffee filters and teabags, overlap in Molly Supplee’s artworks to create pieces she describes as ‘perfectly imperfect’.
What is your creative process?
I could talk about my process all day, so thank you for asking. I typically create my work on wooden panels. I stretch the panels with raw canvas or linen because the texture these provide when interacting with paint is just so dreamy. By this point, I've painted coffee filters and tea bag paper to collage down on top of the linen. From there, I do what feels right in the moment. This could mean adding another layer of my collage paper, or adding some coffee or beet ink. My process is very intuitive! I'll add layer upon layer of paint, pastel marks, coffee or beet ink, and collage paper until I have a piece that I'm in love with. My process truly warms my soul. I'm in love!
Is creating sustainably important to you?
I repurpose our coffee filters and paint with the coffee that's left over from the morning! Sustainability is important to me but I'd love to step that up a notch over the next couple of years. Using natural, non-toxic paint is something I'd love to explore one day. When it comes to shipping my artwork, I focus on reusing packing material I've received in the past and purchasing recyclable shipping material as well.
What is your advice to creatives wanting to take their art to the next step?
What I've learned so far is if you can keep your day job for as long as possible, do it. This will give the security needed and put less stress and strain on your relationship with your art practice. Everyone is different! People always say, when are you going to make the leap to working as a full-time artist? I don't think it should be a leap, it should be a step over! If that makes any sense. I've been very lucky to have a stable, flexible job that allows me to work on my art business in the mornings and evenings and I'm slowly growing this biz month by month. I see myself as a full-time artist in the next two years!
What inspires your work?
I have two types of inspiration – physical inspiration and emotional inspiration.
Physical inspiration: There is a beautiful little nature trail near my home that inspires a lot of my work. I am also mesmerised with ceramics and pottery. I try to emulate a similar texture in my art!
Emotional inspiration: I like to think about how my work will feel in the world and the emotions it will give my collectors such as peacefulness, imagination, and creating a relationship we have with our home and nature.
What do you enjoy most about working with the materials that you use?
I love the textures they create when interacting with each other! Some details of my work reminds me of pottery and it's just so cool to me that paint, linen, tea bag paper, and coffee can interact in such a way and create the look of something they're not.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Artwork is such a beautiful way to create an authentic home. If you have the means to support a creative entrepreneur, do it! I've been slowly collecting little bits from creatives over the past year and I'll be forever grateful because they allow me to slow down and enjoy my home and surroundings – way more than a ceramic piece from Target would!
Maryland, United States
