Making lemonade: How artist and fashion designer Molly Sydnor used her lemons

If you’ve never seen someone take lemons and make lemonade you just need to take one look at artist and designer Molly Sydnor. As a young girl Molly was an athlete and had every intention of going to college on a volleyball or basketball scholarship. So much so that even today some of her favorite childhood memories include the long drives she took with her dad to athletic tournaments. At the time art was just a hobby.

Making Lemonade

Life however had different plans for Molly. Cardiac arrest and a car accident at 17  revealed that Molly had arrhythmia which required a pacemaker. She could no longer play sports. Instead of that being a stumbling block, Molly changed course and pursued art full time. Her hobby is now her passion today. She took her lemons and made lemonade.

Molly creates textiles, paints, draws and designs clothing. Looking at her art I cannot imagine her doing anything else.  In fact Molly believes that there is an artist in each of us and no matter what job we’re doing we should find the art in it. With Molly Art is tantamount to breathing. When I asked her what she’d do if she didn’t have her art and in typical Molly fashion she said, “i’d  find the way.” And I believe her — she’d make lemonade no matter how big or small her lemons are.  This week Molly is our fashNcurious soul. See what shared with us:

Did you always want to be a designer?

I knew I wanted to be an artist of some sort. But not necessarily a designer. Today I am a designer at an interior design and showroom company. It’s wonderful, I even get to weave!

Where do you get your style inspiration?

It’s sort of hard to explain because I really pull inspiration from everywhere and everyday life. A lot of times I’ll see something someone is wearing on the street and sneak a picture or go home and try to draw it.

Your designs are so colorful what’s your obsession with color?

Working in interior design I work with so many neutrals and safe colors. The longer I work with greys and beige the more colorful my work gets!

Your designs seem to have a life of their own is that intentional? 
That’s wonderful! I love that! I make fashion to be seen as sculptural objects. It’s more fine art and conceptual work to be seen as fashion in the body.

Would you consider your pieces ready to wear?

Definitely not! Some aspects of them are and sometimes garments that I make for myself are but when I make fine art sculptural fashion it’s more for the art and less ready wear.

NYFW is around the corner. Is that a dream of yours?

Haha! No. I have never wanted to be or considered myself a fashion designer. For me, again, it’s all about the art!

What’s your vision for your designs the next 10 to 15 years?

I just hope to continue my artistic studio practice! I love making and creativity and I look forward to each new project!

How do you push your creative lines?

I come up with concepts before I begin the body of works. And when I don’t do that first I feel the work is not as strong. I push with concept!

How can individuals can activate their creativity?

I like to look around and become inspired by experience and what is around me.

Sketchbook!

Reading always helps unlock creative artists block.

Workout out clears my mind and helps sort through ideas! That definitely a big one for me.

Lastly just do it! Just make make make and don’t stop even when it’s bad! It will be bad… everyone makes things that suck but those things help you reach the next level.

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