Strong is the artist who was selected by the city of Jamestown for the Spring Street parking garage mural project.

She has had many opportunities to share her artistic expression with others through different galleries, competitions and her own business.

Strong said she took an interest in art at a very young age.

“I gravitated towards creating artwork at any chance I could find,” she said. “I was inspired by the vibrancy and emotional impact color could have, and I was amazed with the ability of turning a blank piece of paper into anything my imagination desired.”

Molly Strong, the artist creating a mural for the Spring Street parking garage, considers art an essential component of self-expression and imagination. As the installation phase on the mural begins, she hopes to inspire others in the community to pursue their dreams and express themselves through art. Submitted photos

Even as a successful artist today, Strong said these artistic components continue to inspire her. As her artistic expression has grown over time, so has her inspiration for creating art.

“The world around me and the want to make a difference in my life and in others inspires me as an artist,” she said.

Strong describes herself as a “self-taught artist” who has been able to learn through experimentation with different art forms while exploring and developing new techniques.

As a professional artist, Strong has had her art displayed in galleries and art fairs, created designs for international companies and painted murals for businesses and schools.

Strong’s artistic ability has been transformed by her commitment to taking risks and creatively designing things “outside of the box.” She said taking risks has helped her to fine tune her technical skills as an artist.

“Having opportunities to work on unique projects provide an exciting challenge that develops new skill sets and an overall learning experience,” she said.

Strong’s dream is to be able to continue to create art and make a sustainable living doing what she enjoys.

The value of art is more than merely decoration for Strong. She believes art can have a true impact on the community.

“Fostering new thoughts, evoking emotion and bringing you to a new place is the purpose of art,” she said, “and that holds great value to the heart and imagination.”

After finding success as an artist, Strong wants to encourage other people to pursue their dreams and express themselves through art.

She warned that it is important for artists to avoid the temptation to criticize and judge their own work before it has the chance to take shape.

“When beginning any type of artistic project, enter with an open mind and create a no-judgement work zone for yourself,” she said. “Your inner critic will destroy your creativity faster than anything.”

Strong encourages beginning artists to accept the process of creating art, be patient and learn from their mistakes. She explained that what a person might call a mistake could eventually be the inspiration for new art forms and creations.

Regardless of the outcome, Strong encourages other artists to use the medium of art to express themselves and enjoy the creative process.

“Self-expression is such an important part of life,” she said. “Everyone is an artist in their own right and we all have the ability to create. Follow through, trust your instincts and commit time in your day to try something new. You won’t regret it. Be fearless when it comes to bringing your imagination to life.”

Over the past couple months, the city has been working with Strong to finalize details on the Spring Street parking garage mural to be featured near the famous Lucille Ball mural.

Strong said she feels honored to have been granted the opportunity to showcase her art in her hometown and hopes to inspire the community through her art.

“Murals have always been an inviting and inspiring art form to me,” she said. “Traveling through different cities and taking in their public art displays have always given me an immediate sense of joy along with the motivation to also want to create a large-scale public art piece. I hope to provide the same feelings of excitement and inspiration that I have experienced, to others through my murals.”