Molly Dickinson
Public Art/Cultural Facilities Program Director
401-573-9838
Molly.Dickinson.CTR@arts.ri.gov
Dickinson manages the Public Art and Cultural Facilities grant programs. It’s important to her to help artists and organizations with process. The world is full of bureaucracy and technological hurdles, but she can share what she knows to help folks out.
Dickinson is an artist who over the years has explored landscape and portrait painting as well as scientific and botanical illustration. Currently, she takes several plein-air painting vacations per year, to keep her hand in the game. She enjoys working in oils, gouache, and pastel.
Q. Do you have a favorite artwork or project you have made or collaborated on and/or a memorable arts experience with your family?
A. In 2021-22, she managed the new mural by Amber Art at the Garrahy Courthouse/Clifford Street Garage. In addition, she worked as a scenic on the world premiere of “Two Trains Running” by August Wilson at Yale Repertory way back when.
Her favorite experience with her family was taking the “Love Letters” tour in Philadelphia through Mural Arts. “Love Letters” is an artwork by Steve Powell that is only visible in its entirety from the SEPTA rail line. It’s a series of murals that tell a story which unfolds to the viewer as the train traverses its route.
Bio
As a working mom of two high-energy children, her resume runs the gamut. She holds a degree in Illustration from RISD and a certificate in Technical Theatre from Yale. Dickinson has worked at several performing arts organizations including Yale Repertory, the Santa Fe Opera and New Mexico Repertory. She was the lead craftsman and manager of a paper conservation firm. A string of part time mothers’ hour jobs included two hardware companies, bookkeeping, a research firm specializing in economic impact studies, grant writing and development work for non-profits, and project management of outdoor artwork exhibitions. She began working for RISCA in 2013 managing the Art in the Airports program, one of RISCA’s public art initiatives.
