In a city where art is starting to define entire neighborhoods, one local muralist is leaving a mark that goes far beyond paint on a wall. Molly McClure’s work is bold, bright and instantly recognizable—and if you’ve spent any time around Colorado Springs, chances are you’ve seen it.
Her story started in a house where art was just part of everyday life. Her father was a painter and architectural engineer and grandmother an artist, so it was always there. But it didn’t fully click as a career until later.
“I always loved it, but I didn’t totally see it as my path until college,” she says. “There was one drawing class where it just kind of hit me—like, okay, this is it.”
Making an Idea Real
She enrolled at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, but her journey didn’t follow a straight line. Eventually, she made her way to Northern California, where things took a turn that ended up shaping her career in a completely different way.
Working with her dad in woodworking and architectural design, she learned skills not always associated with artists—managing projects, working with teams and actually building things from the ground up.
“That’s where I really learned how to take an idea and make it real,” she says. “Not just the creative side, but the process behind it. I got to become a craftsman.”
About a decade ago, she came back to Colorado with a pretty clear goal: be a full-time artist. And she treated it like a job from day one—building a portfolio, creating structure and consistently putting herself out there with galleries and businesses around Colorado Springs and Denver.
Murals, Murals + More Murals
Her big break came in 2018, with a mural of Jimi Hendrix on a large wall off Platte Avenue. Jimi’s head turned heads—and more importantly, it opened doors.
From there, things picked up quickly. She became part of the momentum behind the Knob Hill Urban Arts District, helping shape the look and feel of the area while contributing to its community-driven energy. She now has completed about 80 murals across the city.
Now, her work shows up everywhere—schools, small businesses, nonprofit spaces—the kind of places where people actually live their lives. And that’s exactly what she loves about it.
“My work is in communities and people feel a connection—an ownership of it,” she says. “It’s out where people can see it every day and be involved in the process.”
She also genuinely enjoys the collaborative side of mural work. Whether it’s working with a school, a business owner or a nonprofit, she sees input and limitations as part of the creative process—not something that gets in the way.
“Sometimes those boundaries actually challenge me to be better,” she says. “They push you to think differently.”
The Purpose: Joy
Still, she’s selective about what she takes on. It has to feel right—and it has to align with the bigger purpose behind her work.
Because at the center of everything she creates is one simple idea: joy.
“I want people to feel something positive when they see it,” she says. “Even if it just makes their day a little better.”
You can see that in murals across the city—from the horses at Martinez Elementary to a colorful veterinary clinic that somehow manages to make people smile before they even walk inside. Looking ahead, she’s thinking about growth—not just in terms of projects, but in building something sustainable. Hiring a full-time assistant is on the horizon, along with expanding her reach in public art.
At the same time, she’s learning how important it is to slow down, too—finding inspiration in nature, quiet moments, and a little bit of balance in between projects. Because at the end of the day, her work isn’t just about filling walls—it’s about creating something that people connect with.
Piece by piece, she’s helping Colorado Springs feel a little more vibrant, a little more
colorful—and a lot more joyful.
Website: https://mollymcclureart.com/
Facebook: @Molly.C.McClure
Instagram: @MollyMcClureArt
“I want people to feel something positive when they see it. Even if it just makes their
day a little better.”