Episode 57 | Cutting Brushstrokes | July 28, 2026

Jul 28

Cheryl Molnar

Show Notes: Cheryl Molnar is a New York-based artist whose intricately layered collages — composed of paint-stained paper, photographs, and architectural drawings mounted on natural birch panels — reconstruct familiar landscapes into evocative, utopian worlds. Her work examines the tension between the natural environment and human development, exploring themes of memory, social class, and the places we return to only to find them changed.

Cheryl and host Melanio Gomez crossed paths early in their careers at Martha Stewart Living, Cheryl's first job after graduating from RISD. She has since earned an MFA from Pratt Institute and held residencies at Smack Mellon in Brooklyn and the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts (EFA) in New York City, where she maintains a studio today. Her work has been exhibited across the country, including at the University of Arizona and the Islip Art Museum, and she has completed public art commissions for the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (a permanent ceramic tile installation at PS19Q in Queens) and for Los Angeles County. She also curates exhibitions through her curatorial project, Cheryl Molnar Projects.

A few months ago, Melanio reconnected with Cheryl at C24 Gallery in New York City — which represents her — on the occasion of her solo exhibition The Overview. There Cheryl gave a talk about her work and inspirations, offering a window into the reconstructed landscapes and layered memories at the heart of her practice.

On today's episode Cheryl shares the path that led her from making Barbie doll clothes as a child to being a full-time artist with an incredible body of work.

Image: Charlie Rubin