A native of Northern Michigan, Molly Jo Noland has worked for 18 years as an artist/educator in Cheboygan, Michigan. Art, education, and time in nature are her life passions. She is drawn to the solitude of nature for vital replenishment of life’s energy and is likewise drawn to her studio to paint her experiences. Molly’s paintings range on a continuum between realistic and abstract.

“For me, Art is a means of giving form to that which is spirit and depicting the spirit of that which has form. I am particularly interested in painting natural forces: rock, plant, and water. I interpret what I see and experience with gesture, automatic expression, and exaggerated color. Rather than simply re-presenting the commonly familiar landscape, this approach allows the viewer a more direct experience.

My intent is that the viewers feel what I experience in nature, not just see what I see. I believe it is in the more abstract images that the essence of the place is more readily perceived.”

Molly Jo Noland's work may be viewed at the Gildner Gallery, 216 S. Main, Cheboygan, Michigan.