Molly Harman (she/her)
About the Artist
I discovered my creative voice as a freelance floral designer and later as the owner of an event floral business. That work taught me how essential creative practice is to my sense of self, and how much I value having a vision and bringing it to life. Earning my teaching credential at Mills College with a focus in social justice deepened my desire to help students see themselves as makers, unconventional thinkers, creative problem-solvers, and the architects of their own stories. I believe the best art lessons foster vulnerability, self-reflection, empathy, confidence, and risk-taking—experiences that nurture both artistic and emotional growth and empower students to approach life beyond the classroom with curiosity, courage, agency and self-trust. As a dreamer, entrepreneur, mother, and former middle school teacher, I thrive on bridging imagination and implementation—turning bold ideas into organized, actionable plans.
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About THE ARTIST
Project one
4 day residency, Grades 4-8
History, science, and hands-on art come together as students explore shibori, a traditional Japanese resist-dyeing technique that uses folding, binding, stitching, and clamping to create patterns in cloth. During this four-day residency, students will learn about the history of shibori in Japanese culture, including its roots stretching back over 1,200 years and its connection to indigo, one of the world’s oldest natural dyes.
Students will apply this knowledge through hands-on textile creation, learning beginner-friendly shibori techniques such as folding, binding, and clamping fabric to resist dye. They will discover how indigo changes color when exposed to oxygen and how repeated dips deepen the final blue. Each student will design and dye their own unique shibori textile, building skills in pattern-making, patience, and careful craftsmanship.
In addition to individual work, students across the grade level will collaborate on a large-scale shibori textile, emphasizing teamwork and shared decision-making. This residency balances cultural history, direct instruction, and creative freedom, and concludes with students taking pride in both their personal artwork and a collaborative piece that reflects their learning together.
Let’s Make a Mural: Collaborative Public Art Residency
Let’s Make a Mural is a collaborative public art residency led by a small team of artists working within a flexible, open-ended framework. The residency is adaptable to each site and group of students, with an underlying organizational plan that supports shared leadership, coordinated teaching, and broad student participation.
Students begin by exploring historical and contemporary examples of public and collaborative art through lessons, discussions, and close looking facilitated by the artist team. Early sessions may connect to classroom curriculum or student interests, introducing ideas such as identity, sense of place, community, and shared experience. This foundation helps students understand how artists use materials, imagery, scale, and context to communicate meaning in public spaces.
As the residency unfolds, students move into hands-on experimentation and skill-building. Artists support students in developing individual ideas while remaining attentive to how those contributions come together as a group project. The final artwork is not predetermined; it emerges in response to student input, the site, and the structure of the residency itself. Outcomes may include murals, ceramic tile installations, sculptural works, quilts, or mixed-media installations.
Collaboration is central throughout the process. The residency is structured to support communication, shared decision-making, and collective problem-solving, with an emphasis on student agency and social-emotional learning. Concepts and imagery grow from student voices rather than prescribed symbols or themes.
The residency culminates in the installation or unveiling of a public artwork that reflects the collective process and shared authorship of everyone involved.
Artist contact
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