Molloy - DenHolm GAZZETTE

Best described as the cross-pollination of anthology and surrealism, our next guests’ creative practice daisy-chains still life photography, floral installation and design.
This multitalented artist is at the cutting edge of her field collaborating with the likes of Aesop, Mercedes & AC hotels et al. Below, we discuss her childhood, overcoming creative block and naturally, UFOs. Introducing—

WORDS: DHARMA STUART
IMAGES: HATTIE MOLLOY
COSTA VIRTANEN

Hattie Molloy

hattiemolloy.com.au
@hattiemolloy

DG When did your passion for flowers start to brew?

HM From the time I started walking I was stealing flowers and making little posies. It’s been in my DNA from the get go.

DG Where did you grow up? Were you surrounded by flowers there?

HM I grew up on the mornington peninsula. I spent a lot of time with my grandmother Dulcie who had an amazing garden and I would spend my time picking violets and going on garden tours with her.

DG Floristry seems to be shaking off traditional restraints and birthing into an epoch of conceptual art. What is motivating this ‘movement’? How much of a role does social media play in its growth?

MERCEDES BENZ x HATTIE MOLLOY, IMAGE: LIZ SUNSHINE

HM I think through social media I’ve been able to show people what I want to be known for which in turn pushes the boundaries of what traditional floristry has been. I hate being put into any kind of box. I want to keep discovering where else I can take my practice. I think flowers will always be at the core of what I do and a part of my DNA. But I’m looking forward to delving into new mediums that push my practice forward.

DG Where did you learn flower arranging?

I did do a floristry course but to be honest I had to unlearn about 80% of what they taught.

HM I found that by experimenting myself is where I have taught myself most of how I work today. I like to think there are no rules. As long as it looks bloody amazing.

DG What was your first teenage job? Tell me a bit about other jobs leading you to being a florist? When & how did you get your start?

HM My first job was at sportsgirl at 16. I had dropped out of high school and started working full time. For many years I struggled with serious mental health issues which saw me in and out of hospital. I bounced around to many different jobs. In the back of my mind flowers were always what I wanted to do. I started studying floristry at 23 and was freelancing for other florists for a couple of years.

I was really focused on developing my own style and wanted to show people what I wanted to be known for. Instagram was a great tool as I could showcase the work I wanted to be doing. It all took off quite quickly now looking back.

HM What I do is super labour intensive which has been extremely difficult as I was diagnosed with a Function Neurological Disorder in July 2021. I had to learn how to walk, talk and regain all my motor skills. To this day, my day to day function is impacted significantly by this disability. I have difficulty walking, tremors, dystonia and seizures. I don’t know what part of my body is going to work when I walk up in the morning. Therefore I have had to adjust my practice and figure out a new way of executing these large scale installations. I’m still in the process of rebuilding a new life that can support my work and health in a balanced way.

Even though my brain can’t work out how to use my legs some days, my ideas and creative drive hasn’t stopped.

I have a wonderful team around me who bring these ideas to life and I still love working. It gives me purpose and something positive to focus on.

DG What flower do you associate with…

Your best friend

The Queen

Porridge

Euphoria

Fire

Your last pet

Ballet

Bath bubbles

HM Sturt Desert Pea

Classic English Rose

Popcorn Hydrangea

Bat Flower

Firewheel tree

Tiger Striped Lily

Cycleman

Hakea

DG Are you a big traveler? How have your travels informed your work?

HM I was a big traveler in my late teens early twenties. I was lucky to be able to see some amazing places. India being one of my all time favourites. Unfortunately since covid and now with my disability travel hasn’t been very accessible. But hopefully in the future this will be more attainable.

DG One of the most incredible things about your work is that it is living. Your work is breath-taking, does the impermanence of your creations bother you at all?

HM I find the ephemeral nature of my work adds to the beauty in some ways. There is something about a fleeting moment. But I do look for ways that I can make work in a more permanent way which is in the works.

DG Describe your happy place.

HM Visiting gardens feed my soul.

DG What kind of vases do you gravitate toward?

HM I’ve been designing my own vases which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I don’t think you can go past my Ixia vase. It’s perfect in my eyes. I love a footed vase so it gives the flowers a little height and air to breath. Kind of like a high heel makes your legs look fab.

DG Who has been your favourite client to date? What set them apart?

HM I loved doing the Aesop pumpkin installations across melbourne and sydney. I had been obsessed with pumpkins for many years and I’d do installations in my shops with them but Aesop was the first client to come to me and say… WE WANT PUMPKINS! I loved that.

a reminder to show people what you want to do opposed to waiting for people to give you an opportunity to.

DG What is your process of creation? Do you start with a drawing? If so, can you show us an example?

HM With flowers It’s always been very intuitive. I’d find whatever was amazing at the market and just pull whatever sparked joy. Then somehow it would all just come together. When I’m in the flow of it, it’s very meditative. I love being in that place.
Now that I’m doing more designing it’s a lot of sketches (even tho I’m bad at them). As I work on so many different types of projects from large scale installation, event design, floral design, product design to photography it really depends on what suits the project.

DG You have an incredible ability to make even the most mundane perishables, like vegetables, appear almost fictional/ “other-wordly”. Do you believe in UFOs?

HM ABSOLUTELY!!!!!! Lol. I love working with mundane things. I love changing the context of how people view certain things. I want to take you to a different planet. So yes UFOs have to exist in my world.

DG Finally, what’s your favourite flower?

HM That’s like asking to choose your favourite child. Depends on the day and who is behaving the best.

DG Thanks so much for your time Hattie.