Meet Trailblazer Molly Zager

Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Zager.

Molly, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up always drawing and painting. I spent a lot of time in the art room of my childhood home creating with my friends. Throughout middle school and high school, I was always taking art classes as well. In college, I decided to major in studio art. Most of my art during these times featured a lot of florals. No specific reason, just that I think I just really liked how they looked. My first canvas painting was a 4ft by 4ft piece of just flowers, all because I wanted to paint flowers. After graduation, my career goal was to work in a creative environment. I didn’t picture myself as a working artist, but I did want to work somewhere I could use my artistic abilities. I found myself doing a lot of teaching gigs but then also answered an ad at a flower shop. I had no experience, but it only required an “artistic background.” That was me! I was trained to be a floral designer, and I have developed an even more appreciation for flowers.

Meanwhile, I’ve always enjoyed creating specific cards and paintings for my friends’ birthdays. For a fellow plant loving friend, I watercolored a succulent because that way it can live forever. Another friend saw the painting and wanted one of her own. This inspired me to continue creating and painting small pieces that can forever live in ones home. I have always had positive support from my community to go out there, sell my stuff, try a farmers market, or have an art show. This support has kept me producing more and more work.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve been very lucky to have a great group around me who always support me and which allows me to have successful shows and pop-ups. That being said, I have had markets where I’ve barely broken even or promos I’ve posted on Instagram that people don’t respond to. You have your really great days and the days that make you just want to quit and question “why am I even doing this?” As artists we create, and you just have to continue creating. People will either respond positively or not like it all. I look at back at the stuff I was making three years ago to some of the pieces I’ve recently made. It’s not like I’ve had some awesome, light bulb, overwhelming epiphany, I’ve just painted and painted and three years later you realize this stuff has become different on its own. I think that is what is so interesting about the artistic process. You just have to trust it. When you get stuck on something, move on to another project, you can always go back. Just continue putting yourself out there and creating. Another piece of advice that was given to me is, give your self a deadline. Sign up for a pop-up or an art show even if you feel that you don’t have enough pieces. It will put the fire under your butt, and you’ll rise to the occasion, I promise.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about your work– what should we know?
I am a painter and a floral designer! I am down for any project, but I specialize in designing floral greeting cards. I strive to make each design a one-of-a-kind painting and standard frame size so the recipient can pop it in a frame and have a new piece of artwork. Each greeting card is blank so that they can be used for any occasion and the customer can write whatever thought comes to mind. I like to paint pieces that people can add to the decor of their home. I hear over and over again how people struggle to keep plants alive or the disappointment of dying flowers. So I like to create paintings that capture the likeness without all of the work of keeping them alive. I’m most proud of the accessibility of my work. By creating low priced items, like stickers or greeting cards with my watercolor paintings on them, they are obtainable and are used and enjoyed every day.

So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
Ever since I began working, I’ve always been surrounded by women co-workers and women bosses. Once I moved to San Diego and streamlined the fields I was working in, I found myself working for women entrepreneurs of small businesses. Just from first-hand experience, it seems that women are well positioned for creative field. There are a lot of lady bosses out there running small creative businesses, and they seem to be killing it!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mollyzager.com
• Email: mzager@verizon.net
• Instagram: @zollymager

Image Credit:
Molly Zager

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