Mollie Douthit

Originally from North Dakota, Douthit has lived and worked for many years in Ireland, and is now based in Malmö, Sweden. She holds a BFA from the University of North Dakota; Post Baccalaureate from Tufts University, Boston; and MFA from Burren College of Art, NUIG. Major achievements include the 2026 RHA Adams Award from the RHA, 2013 RHA Hennessy Craig award, a solo exhibition at the North Dakota Museum of Art, twice awarded the Elizabeth Greenshields Grant, several Arts Council Bursaries, and is included in many Irish public and private collections.

Douthit’s work has been featured in Hyperallergic, The Irish Times, Sunday Times Culture, New American Paintings, and Ilikeyourworkpodcast. Her work has been supported by residencies at the Tony O’Malley residence, Jentel Foundation for the Arts, Tyrone Guthrie Center, Ballinglen Arts Foundation, and Vermont Studio Center.

Recent exhibitions include Dreams are Important, Molesworth Gallery; Tyranny of Ambition, Highlanes Gallery; Generation 22, Butler Gallery; and a solo exhibition When Worlds Collide, Butler Gallery. Douthit and her paintings are the subject in Opening Night a book by acclaimed Irish author Sara Baume to be published in the US fall 2026

Douthit starts every day with a run, followed by coffee. A passionate baker and reader of literary fiction.

Artist Statement

I paint scenes from my life to visually communicate my emotional connections to objects, people, and places.  From memory I draw the scenes out: the layout of a room, the color of the carpet, and texture of interior walls. Oftentimes, I paint from a bird’s eye view — coming in from above and floating through the architecture, as if I am watching events unfold rather than participating in them. This can result in distorted perspectives such as doorways being foreshortened, and walls elongated. I see these paintings as works of autobiographical fiction, and in the process of creating them, I have become aware of the fragility of memory.

Painting from memory, I return to moments when my emotions have stayed with me, becoming heavier, more potent, or precious over time. While I rely on memory to begin a work, I often embellish the paintings with whimsy or absurdity. This is to perhaps giggle or indulge in how I feel about a place, being, or experience — such as a halo on my dog, or a muted rainbow over a hospital bed breakfast. My works explore how tenderness, humor, conflict and grief can coexist and for me defining what makes a life.

I use a distinct palette often reminiscent of autumnal warmth and dusty coolness. Fueled by a fascination with color mixing and specific approach to seeing, remembering, and rendering hues, my paintings are vibrantly saturated in potent color. I often use several layers of paint and intentional brushwork to evoke a confirmation within myself that the memory has been made into a physical form.

A note on scale.

In my small body I can hold big emotions therefore, I believe that a small painting can generate the same for a viewer.