Molly Emanuel McGlynn
She/Her | @mr.mcglynn | Overland Park, Kansas
How did you get into your medium/art style?
My mom is an artist. She’s a muralist and community builder. So, I’ve been enveloped by art, artists, and creation as long as I’ve been alive. Some of my earliest memories are finger painting in my kitchen next to my mom as she’d oil paint.
Who are some of your biggest inspirations?
I am so grateful for so much. For my mamma for creating and creating and creating me. My ancestors for surviving genocide to land here and make art out of their survival. My twin Lucy, who I keep in my home, who makes historical costumes. Lauren my big sis that teaches me how to teach (can you believe that??)! My girl Melissa who is a word smith and speaks to god. Rachel, my computer artist extraordinaire who opens up my heart. My guy Nate whose gonna help me make pictures that move. Dania, who lights my fire and shows me how to feed myself love. My friend Chris Dom$ who makes music that I can see in my mind. My lil bro Owen who never fails to humble the fuck outta me. My dad for showing me how to BE in nature and build fire. Hundreds of people with whom my path has run across and showed me how to be alive.
How do you battle creative blocks
I think creation can be a lot like fire. Fire needs three things to start: fuel, air, and a spark. In order to create we need to create within and around ourselves the conditions needed for us to create. We need the air that’s conducive to the fire or our creativity. Meaning, we need the space and the rest to breathe to have ideas and be inspired as well as the environment that allows the physical and energetic room for creation. We need the fuel. Both the medias we love to Handel and work with as well as the intellectual and spiritual subjects from which we channel our materials to create about.We need the spark. The moment that the emotional energy builds to a frequency that can be put to the material and ravaged into a creation. It takes being honest about the reality of your conditions, recognizing what is needed, and making the choices that transform the environment so when the lighting strikes, it can be directed into a blaze.
What's something you do fun away from art?
Roller skate, dance, cook
If you could give a young photographer any advice, what would you tell em?
Do it not because you should. But, because you love to. What you don’t love, don’t do. Find reasons to love a lot. And forgive forgive forgive, starting with yourself and extending to the farthest reaches of your capacity. If you cannot fail, you will not start. Fail often.
What do you think is holding back the art community in Kansas City
I Love this city. I love the art here. I love the people that make art here. I think there is much opportunity here if you know where to look. So many pockets of joy and creation. And, we live in a competitive, individualistic, stingy, and fearful culture. One of the greatest things that I see stoping people from creating and collaborating is fear. Fear of physical and emotional needs not being met. I think it is in every artists direct interest to abolish that which starves us. It’s in all of our direct interests to invite and learn to collaborate and embrace our own and each other’s humanity. Isn’t that where all art comes from? Aren’t we all capable of creation?