Cowl, Fuschia, 2023, Watercolor, 12 x 18 inches
Mariana Molloy
Mariana Christiane Molloy is in her senior year studying journalism and studio art. She grew up in a community that valued art. She went to an elementary school that specialized in the visual arts and helped her to cultivate her passion. She has spent a lot of time in New York City and has taken fashion illustration classes during summer break at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She also took every level of art in high school including AP Art. She enjoys creating and has always had a love of fashion.
Delicate
Since I was a little girl, my grandmother, Nana, was a big part of my life. I always watched as she would do her makeup and beauty treatments. She always made a point to have her nails done and took care in how she presented herself to the world.
As someone who raised 4 children on her own after her husband had left her during a time when divorce was considered shameful, she is someone who has shown me the meaning of strength.
I have always admired her ability to find laughter in any situation and her love for fashion, beauty and grace.
As I was creating this collection, I wanted to embody the lessons I have learned from the time I spent around her. I noticed she had gotten through tough times by looking at things in a light-hearted way. I wanted to create drawings that had simplicity and a delicate quality to them. Glamour was important to her. I wanted to embody the strength in these works that I saw she got from the way she took care of herself.
I also wanted to include the technical aspects of fashion illustration such as tracing first, and then using that outline to create a final piece of work. I have included an interactive piece, and samples of tracing paper to show the process.