By Kathleen O. Brown
Thirty years ago, Molly Courcelle was living in Boston and visiting a friend at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence when she met Tania Dirks who was enrolled as a student there. On subsequent visits to the school, Courcelle began spending more time with Dirks and they became fast friends, enjoying each other’s company and mutual interest in art. “Not only did I instantly love Tania herself but I completely admired and was in awe of her talent,” Courcelle says.
Courcelle ultimately moved back to her home state of North Carolina and lost touch with Dirks. Once the possibility of finding people by way of the internet became available, Courcelle says she searched for Dirks often but to no avail. She did have tangible reminders of Dirks and her artistic talents. Courcelle had saved some of Dirks’ work from her days at the Rhode Island School of Design, including a large diptych that Courcelle had hung up in her home.
Molly Courcelle, left, and Tania Dirks
After moving to Asheville in 1997, Courcelle and her mother Bee Sieberg opened the Biltmore Village floral and antiques shop The Gardener’s Cottage, which they owned until 2004. By 2008, Courcelle and Sieberg, who are both fine artists, each moved into studios at the Wedge in Asheville’s River Arts District.
“Imagine my delight,” Courcelle says, “when one Saturday in my Wedge studio, Tania walked in! Turns out that she and her husband had moved to Tennessee just over an hour away. Of course, I wanted to know about her art and if she was still painting.” Dirks was indeed still painting as well as teaching classes and this led to Courcelle helping her connect with ArtPlay in Asheville where Dirks was showing her artwork when Hurricane Helene hit.
“The opportunity arose for me to expand my gallery and I decided to start representing Tania as well as a few other friends,” Courcelle says. “It has been a blessing to represent Tania’s vibrant, energetic landscapes and hay bale paintings and especially to be connected to Tania again!”
Dirks is equally ebullient about reconnecting with Courcelle and what it has meant to her both personally and with regards to her work as an artist. “I am thrilled to share how knowing Molly has literally changed my life,” she says. “She manages everything with grace. She pours countless hours into the gallery studio yet manages to stay fresh and creative in her artwork and still lift others up.”
The pair’s paintings reflect their individuality, with Dirks using bright colors and energetic movement in her pieces and Courcelle’s works evoking a quieter, more ethereal and spiritual mood. “I often hear from people, ‘Tania’s paintings make me happy,’” Courcelle says, “and I also hear that my paintings bring them peace.”
As people and as artists, the two friends recognize that they are very different, but also acknowledge several key things that make their union work especially well. “We both take our work as artists seriously, staying busy and driven,” Courcelle says. “We also both come from a place of faith. We work together well with mutual respect.”
Through their renewed personal alliance, Courcelle and Dirks continue to inspire and support each other professionally, too. “I have watched and learned from Molly,” Dirks says. “She is the reason I found Asheville and now teach and show in Asheville. We came up with the label for my artwork style, Colorscapes, together. If I was going to paint how I feel about Molly, I would use the most elegant neon colors I could muster!”
Learn more about the artists at MollyCourcelle.com and TaniaDirks.com.
