Molly Fletcher is an artist and educator from Central New Hampshire. She graduated from Keene State College with a BFA in 2008, then left the area to pursue an MFA in Painting from The University of Delaware. For the past 9 years, she has been an Adjunct Professor of Painting, Design and Drawing at Keene State College, and for the past 5 years she has been the Art Instructor at Saint Joseph Regional School.
More about her work, and vision, in her own words:
My personal work explores what it means to be a New England Native. Through buffalo plaid patterns, a suggestion of flannel, and expressive portraiture my work challenges the notion of quaintness that New England is often associated with and emphasizes the often dark sense of humor that this area is known for. Creating traditional and non-traditional venues for art to be viewed has been a passion of mine over the last 15 years.
While my studio practice is not collaborative, the means by which I show my work often depends on collaboration. I enjoy curating and participating in shows with like-minded artists who reside in the area, and considering how the context of a show changes when our works come together in one viewing space. As an art educator, I find it valuable for students to realize how much more refined an idea can become when working with others.
Upon returning to the Keene in 2010 with my MFA, I began hosting pop-up art shows with the help of other local artists. At that time I also served on a committee of Keene State Faculty and Staff to enrich Keene State’s art department with the addition of an off-campus teaching gallery. The Carroll House Gallery on Main Street has since hosted many local, national, and internationally renowned artists and serves as an exemplary learning experience for Art Majors.
More recently, I have been both an artist and installer for the paste-paper mural project downtown. These temporary paper murals, drawn and printed by both local and nationally renowned artists, have since generated a desire for more public art in Keene.
I also currently serve on the events committee for the upcoming Walldogs Magical History Tour Mural Festival which will be happening in June of this year, after which we will be able to experience more permanent public art in Keene.
I’d like to see the population of young NH artists grow! Here, there is undoubtedly a deep-seeded commitment to the traditional, and while I admire those traditional roots, I would be thrilled to see more subversive work in my home state. The growing popularity of pop-up exhibits will lead to exhibition opportunities for emerging artists, and I can’t wait to see them thrive!
I am teaching a mural arts course at Keene State that emphasizes group discussion and collaborative dynamics. I think students are often surprised at the quality of work that is achieved when all skill sets and voices are given consideration. Witnessing that realization is very exciting to me.
As an alum of Keene State, an educator and a local, I would like to bridge the gap between the city of Keene and the Art Department at Keene State College. If students are given the opportunity to get involved with local artists, pop-ups and community events, they will only further enrich the community we are so invested in.
I am impressed with the changes that have been happening in Keene over the past few years. The city’s commitment to the arts is whole-hearted and I feel lucky to be able to create in a community that is so supportive of the arts.
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Check out Molly’s website: mollyfletcherart.com
Or follow her on Instagram: mollyfletcherart