Ignite Studio is proud to host solo exhibits by artists from Hamilton County and surrounding areas as part of our mission to promote and display art from our talented community. Our next solo exhibit is Mallory Coffey, the juried winner of this year’s “The 700 Collection” exhibit, chosen for first place by a jury panel for her excellent technical artistry.
See “You Grow Girl” on view in the lower lobby of the Fishers branch of the Hamilton East Public Library from August 8 – September 19, 2025.
About the Artist
Artist Mallory Coffey
Mallory Coffey is a fine artist with experience spanning 15+ years. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and printmaking and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from Purdue University. She has a passion for art, science, nature, and community. Mallory has participated in many exhibitions and worked with Newfields as an art conservation technician, which she considers a dream role. Over the years, she has worked as a freelance artist painting portrait commissions while moving around as part of a military family. Now back home in Indiana, Mallory most recently was awarded first place in the juried “The 700s Collection” exhibition at Ignite Studio earlier this year which brought her the honor of this solo show called “You Grow Girl.”
About the Exhibit
“Art has the ability to empower and uplift. I am deeply inspired by the ways that women are both strong and vulnerable and can often feel these at the same time. This duality is not a contradiction but a powerful truth that speaks to the multi-faceted nature of a woman’s experience. My work is an invitation to reflect on the complexities of life, to celebrate the strength that lies in vulnerability, and to honor the beauty in our differences and our shared experiences.
Detail of “Vulnerability,” charcoal drawing with soft pastel.
This show has allowed me to rediscover myself as an artist and what new directions I would like to go. You will see themes of nature and identity through painting, printing, and figure drawing. We all wear many hats, as some may say, and each one informs the other. Some we keep, some we leave behind like a costume, but they all help us grow. The newest part of my identity is mother, and I am forever changed. My hope with this start to my new series is to work through some of the pain, share in some of the pride, and hope that others can relate in their own ways to overcoming overwhelming emotions and feeling vulnerable and strong at the same time. It is a weird feeling, but it has taken time for me to understand that two things can be true. Through hard times, finding beautiful details in nature became crucial. I needed to find the silver lining in anything, no matter how small it might be. I found it by noticing the snowdrops popping up first, still surrounded by snow, or how beautifully the water trickles through a fountain or creek. Spring is a time of rebirth, a new beginning. During that dark time, I collected flowers and pressed them and am now using them in my artwork to add texture and meaning.
“Strength,” subtractive charcoal and watercolor
My process with charcoal and soft pastels includes a subtractive technique which is the removal of the medium to create the subject. After applying a solid layer of charcoal to the paper, I’ll then remove it, roughly at first, and then back and forth adding and removing many layers until the finished portrait is revealed. In other parts of this exhibition, I am getting back to my printmaking roots and exploring relief printing.
Inspired by the song “Hang on Little Tomato” by Pink Martini, in particular the verse:
“Just hang on
Hang on to the vine
Stay on
Soon you’ll be divine
If you start to cry, look up to the sky
Something’s coming up ahead
To turn your tears to dew instead”,
I was moved to create new art celebrating nature and hope.”
See “You Grow Girl” on display at the Fishers branch of HEPL at 5 Municipal Drive, Fishers, IN 46038. This exhibit will be on view from August 8 to September 19, 2025. If you are interested in purchasing a piece from this show, let us know at [email protected] or by giving us a call at 317-579-0331. Learn more about our exhibits on our website. Join us for a joint artist reception on August 21 from 6-7 PM to celebrate Mallory and the artists of our upcoming group exhibit “Large Format.”