[Image by Mollie Douthit, “atelier nerves, atelier relief”, oil on linen, 5x7] Mollie was preparing her MA exhibition at Burren College of Art when we met a couple of years ago. Mollie had hardly thought about the particulars and process of her graduation. She was, like many interesting painters, to busily arguing and agreeing with the silent gathered group of her own just recently finished work. I'm pretty sure she hardly noticed those of us around her. Mollie thinks about painting all the time – pure painting. We said goodbye this summer, she was on her way home for a couple of months, and we told her to rest - just hang up her brushes. She had a very successful year of exhibitions, prizes and sales and she was exhausted and pressed to find new subject matter to continue working. We may as well have told her not to breathe. She spent the weeks at home painting the simplest subject she could – colour. www.rubicongallery.ie & https://www.facebook.com/RubiconGallery/