Little city, big Inspiration
Molly Graham's 100 Mini Houses showing at Eastern Edge starts today
It’s almost hard to imagine what it’s like to live in a city that isn’t full of colourful houses — the mix of pastels and vivid colours drawing out a smile on even the most dreary of days.
As the COVID-19 pandemic limits travel and keeps us bound to our neighbourhoods, I count my lucky stars every day that my morning commute and daily constitutionals are filled with rainbow colours peeking out through the fog.
The city’s vibrant homes also inspire local artist Molly Graham, who operates under the moniker Molly Margaret Art.
Graham has recently completed 100 miniature portraits “showcasing the magic and detail of the houses and buildings” in the city’s downtown core.
She started painting these minis in 2019, originally creating the artworks as gifts for friends and family, but the adorable pieces were admired by many when Graham began sharing the work online. She started accepting commissions and custom pieces — then the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world.
This gave Graham a unique opportunity — a large amount of free time to create. Over the course of 441 days, she completed 100 miniatures.
Graham noted that her 100 Mini Houses project was on hold for a couple months at the end of 2020, as she was busy at Christmas time with commissions.
Soon after, when the island went into lockdown in February, Graham took this time to finish the works. The end result is stunning.
Graham’s completed project went on display at Bannerman Brewery May 7-8.
The city’s bold colour scheme was reflected beautifully in Graham’s display — it seemed like every colour of the rainbow was represented, in every shade and hue.
I headed to the brewery shortly after the exhibit opened on May 7, with my 10-year-old neighbour Atlas in tow.
Altas excitedly pointed out the houses he sees every day on his way to school and skateboarding around the neighbourhood. Keeping an eye to detail, he was impressed by Graham’s ability to paint tiny house numbers, and the intricate details of grand Victorian properties.
As well as homes, some local businesses were featured, like Venice Pizzeria, Fred’s Records, Georgestown Bakery, Seto, Adelaide Oyster House, Leo’s Fish & Chips, The Parlour, Raymond’s, Halliday’s Meat Market, Chinched Bistro, and more.
A map dotted with colourful pins showed the locations of Graham’s 100 creations. Atlas pointed out our neighbourhood, and noted that there was a pin near our addresses — sure enough, our neighbour’s newly painted home was featured.
While I undoubtedly appreciated Graham’s hard work and artistry, viewing the exhibit through the eyes of a child added a certain level of that aforementioned “magic” that downtown St. John’s possesses.
Even on the foggiest, darkest days, throughout a global pandemic, the brilliant, radiant colours of the city shine through, inspiring us to put a smile on our faces or for some, to put the paintbrush to the paper.
Molly Graham’s 100 Mini Houses exhibit heads to Eastern Edge this spring, running from May 15 to June 26.