If you’re reading this, you’ve probably just found my website — which means this is the start of something. Let me introduce myself properly.
Who I Am
My name is Molly Frantzen. I’m a professional artist living and working in Falmouth, Maine. I paint original works in watercolor, acrylic, gouache, and ink — subjects drawn from the natural world around me. Flowers, landscapes, animals, food, light on water, the color of a Maine sky five minutes before sunset.
I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from Colgate University, where I spent four years painting, drawing, and studying the work of artists who came before me. After college, I kept painting — not because I had a business plan, but because I couldn’t stop. It’s the thing I do every day, the way I make sense of what I see, and the way I share what I notice with other people.
Why I Started This
For a long time, I sold my paintings the way most artists do — at local shows, through word of mouth, to friends and friends of friends. It worked, but it was small. And I kept meeting people who said, “I love your work, I wish I could buy a piece” — people who didn’t live in Maine, who couldn’t make it to a show, who didn’t even know I had a website.
That’s when I realized I needed to build something bigger. Not bigger for the sake of being big, but bigger so that the work could reach the people who would love it. An artist’s job isn’t finished when the painting is done — it’s finished when the painting is hanging in someone’s home, bringing them joy every time they walk past it.
This website, this shop, this blog — it’s all built around that mission. I want to make it easy for you to discover original art, understand what you’re buying, and feel confident that you’re getting something special.
What You’ll Find Here
Original paintings — every one created by hand in my Falmouth studio. No prints passed off as originals, no mass production. When you buy an original from me, it’s the only one in the world.
Giclee prints — museum-quality reproductions of my most popular paintings. These are for the person who falls in love with a painting but doesn’t need (or want to invest in) the original. They’re beautiful, archival, and a fraction of the price.
Custom commissions — your favorite place, your pet, your home, your dream painting. I work with you from concept to completion to create something deeply personal.
Stories and knowledge — through this blog, I’ll share my painting process, my inspirations, art-buying guides, and a window into what life looks like from inside a working artist’s studio. If you’ve ever been curious about how a watercolor painting actually gets made, or how to choose art for your living room, or why Maine light is different from light anywhere else — this is the place.
What I Believe
I believe original art makes a home feel human. In a world of mass-produced everything — printed from files, shipped from warehouses, identical to a million others — a handmade painting is the opposite of all that. It’s evidence that a human being sat down, paid attention to something beautiful, and made something new.
I believe art shouldn’t be intimidating. The gallery world can sometimes feel exclusive and inaccessible. I want buying art to feel like what it actually is — a moment of connection between a person who made something and a person who loves it.
I believe in painting what I see. My work isn’t conceptual or abstract (though I have nothing against either). I paint real things — flowers, water, dogs, food, coastline — because I believe the world is already full of beauty that deserves to be noticed and celebrated.
And I believe in Maine. The light, the landscape, the seasons, the people. It shapes everything I paint, and I hope that sense of place comes through in every piece.
What’s Next
I have a lot planned. New paintings are always in progress. I’ll be launching new print collections, seasonal greeting cards, and a 2027 art calendar. I’m developing virtual watercolor workshops for people who want to try painting themselves. And this blog will be updated regularly with new content — process stories, art advice, and dispatches from the studio.
If you want to stay connected, the best thing you can do is join my email list. You’ll get a free digital wallpaper featuring my watercolor art, plus monthly updates from the studio — new paintings, behind-the-scenes looks at my process, and early access to new products before they go live on the site.
You can also find me on Instagram, where I share daily studio moments, work-in-progress shots, and the occasional time-lapse of a painting coming together.
Thank you for being here. I’m glad you found me.
— Molly
