Interview
Molly Sikora
Molly Sikora grew up on a pig and crop farm in rural Northwest Iowa, where the practical life of farming subtly intertwined with creativity. Surrounded by the hands-on artistry of her father, a farmer who shaped the land with intention, Molly’s earliest artistic spark came from discovering her mother’s high school easel and oil paints tucked away in storage. This moment ignited a lifelong passion for creating. She pursued formal training at the University of Iowa, where she studied painting, photography, and art history. Still drawn to the energy of a larger city, Molly transferred to Columbia College Chicago, earning a Fine Arts Degree in Photography and Art History. Her career path included a decade in fashion retail and running her own vintage home decor store, before ultimately circling back to her true calling - art. With a dedicated studio space at home, Molly now paints almost every day, deeply immersed in the creative process. Her work is a reflection of the paths she’s walked, the beauty she finds in life’s simplicity, and the inner world she continues to explore through abstraction.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I come from a family of creatives on my father’s side, but it was actually my mother’s high school easel and her old toolbox of oil paints that first sparked my interest. Growing up on a pig and crop farm in Northwest Iowa, I was surrounded by practical people, yet I could always see the artistry in what my father did - growing things with his hands, shaping our land with care and intention. In many ways, he was an artist too, creating his own world on our acreage. My formal journey began at the University of Iowa, where I studied painting, photography, and art history, learning the masters' approach. Yet, the pull of a larger city led me to transfer to Columbia College Chicago, where I graduated with a Fine Arts Degree in Photography and Art History. While I’ve always expressed myself through visuals, I found myself in the fashion retail world, a job that had helped put me through college. I spent ten years in that industry before opening my own store in Lincoln Park, selling vintage home decor, accessories, and, occasionally, my own art. After five years, I closed the shop and shifted gears, taking interior design courses at the Art Institute and starting my own design business while continuing to paint. It wasn’t until a room opened up in our home that I finally had a full-blown studio. Since then, I’ve painted almost every day, and at long last, I can confidently call myself an artist. This journey has been a winding one, but each chapter has shaped me into the artist I am today.”
What inspires you?
“Inspiration for me comes from anything and everything that moves me - and there is so much in this world that does. It could be a piece of music with a beat so captivating that you can’t help but sway, or fashion that boldly expresses identity. Places, whether beautiful or gritty, hold stories, while people who show their unique quirks reveal something raw and real. I am drawn to moments of beauty, fleeting yet powerful, like the way a breeze moves through leaves in sunlight, or a glance that says more than words ever could. It’s these moments that stop me in my tracks, making me pause, lean in, or stand still to listen. They are the sparks that ignite my work, inviting me to translate these feelings into something tangible.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“At the heart of my work lies a reflection on the phases and journey we all experience in life. I explore the moments of clarity- the “aha” moments - when everything seems to come into focus, offering a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. My art celebrates the beauty found in simplicity, in fleeting moments that might otherwise be overlooked, but which hold profound meaning. A recurring theme is how our childhoods shape us, leaving imprints that influence the way we navigate life. Through abstraction, I delve into these early experiences, using them as a lens to examine our emotional landscapes. My hope is that my work resonates with viewers as they reflect on their own journeys, finding echoes of their personal ‘aha’ moments within the layers of each piece.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work exists at the intersection of contrasts - stillness and movement, chaos and clarity, light and dark, new and old. Through abstraction, I explore these dualities as metaphors for the paths and choices we make in life. Each piece is a reflection of the roads we take, the turns we make, and the moments where we pause to look deeper. Abstraction allows me to navigate the complexity of my own inner world, bringing form to emotions and thoughts that often feel formless. In my process, I lean into everything - textures, colors, layers - inviting the viewer to come closer and engage with the work on a more intimate level. There’s always something beneath the surface, just waiting to be uncovered, mirroring the way we experience life and the choices we make. It’s this tension, this need to explore and reveal, that drives my creative practice.”
Which artists influence you most?
“My creative journey has been deeply shaped by the work of artists who push the boundaries of both form and emotion. Photographers like Sarah Moon and Juergen Teller have taught me to embrace imperfection, to find beauty in raw, unpolished moments, and to convey a sense of mystery that lingers beyond the frame. Their ability to capture both vulnerability and strength resonates with my own desire to create works that evoke complex emotions and invite interpretation. In the world of painting, Cy Twombly’s expressive marks and Gerhard Richter’s mastery of abstraction and realism have had a profound impact on how I approach my own practice. Twombly’s gestural freedom speaks to my love of texture and movement, while Richter’s ability to blur the lines between clarity and obscurity pushes me to explore the tension between control and spontaneity. Both artists embody a sense of timelessness and depth that I aspire to in my own work, reminding me that art is as much about feeling as it is about seeing. These influences are not just points of reference; they are guiding lights that have shaped the way I navigate my own creative process. They remind me to trust in intuition, to embrace the unknown, and to constantly seek beauty in unexpected places.”
“At the heart of my work lies a reflection on the phases and journey we all experience in life.”
What is your creative process like?
“My creative process is rooted in the belief that art exists all around us, waiting to be captured and transformed. I strive to make every aspect of my life a work of beauty, from the time I spend in the studio to the moments I pull inspiration from nature, fashion, museums, time with family, and the world around me. This immersion allows me to approach each project with a sense of depth and connection, as if the art is slowly revealing itself over time. Some of my projects have taken decades to fully come to life. I believe that art cannot be rushed; it needs time to breathe, evolve, and speak in its own voice. Working daily is my commitment to the craft, but the process doesn’t stop there. My life is a constant conversation with beauty. Whether it’s the way light falls through the trees or the colors in a fabric I encounter, these moments weave themselves into my work in unexpected ways. For me, the studio is a sanctuary, but it's also just one piece of the larger puzzle. Every day, I draw from the well of experiences and inspirations that life offers, letting them simmer in my mind until they take form on the canvas. The patient unfolding of ideas is what makes the work feel so personal. Ultimately, I am creating a life that is as much about beauty and art as the pieces themselves, allowing each creation to be a reflection of the world that surrounds and sustains me.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“As an artist, I am driven by the belief that art has the power to transform not only spaces but minds. In an increasingly complex world, our role is to create works that resonate on multiple levels–visually, emotionally, and intellectually. We challenge, we inspire, and we connect. Through our evolving practice, we contribute to a larger conversation about what it means to live, to feel, and to see in this moment of history.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I’m really proud of the show last fall at Virgil Catherine Gallery, Hinsdale - Myth of Memory as two of my pieces, from The Edit series, sold pre-show. This series, inspired by my childhood fascination with fashion magazines, reflects the intersection of memory, beauty, and identity that continues to inform my work. I am excited about an upcoming show in February with some wonderful fellow artists.”
