Molly de St André

Molly de St André is a world traveler who has always pursued her passions—from ceramics at Bard College at Simon’s Rock, to teaching abroad, to running a successful screen printing and graphic design company.

Molly and her husband Aurélien own Moho Designs, a design studio known for its fresh, graphic, and eco-friendly apparel for adults and children, as well as print cards and posters. They also own and operate Petit Pilou, an imprint of Moho Designs that sells their handmade baby apparel. They create all of their work by hand, and sell their products at local and regional markets, and on Etsy, and have also been commissioned by various organizations for original designs. The duo’s graphic design work includes original brand identity, logos, websites, and print material for companies and nonprofit clients around the globe. Molly also created a winning design for Fluevog, an international shoe designer, which has been featured in multiple art magazines.

Molly earned her AA from Simon’s Rock, where she further explored her passion for ceramics and fell in love with the Berkshires.

Ceramics Program

Studio Arts Program

She received her BA and MA in Arts and Teaching at Bennington College.

Pursuing both an interest in art and teaching after college, Molly moved to Afghanistan—“on a huge leap of faith,” she said—and taught ceramics in an apprenticeship program, before being named the director of curriculum. She also used art and movement to help Afghans of all ages who had suffered from serious trauma, and trained teachers to continue her work after she left. Molly has worked closely with the deaf community, both in the United States and internationally, in language intervention and the arts.

Rockers, quite literally, often choose the less traveled road: In 2011, Molly and Aurélien journeyed 6,000 miles through Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, and into France aboard an old Volkswagen minibus that they renovated using scrap metal. Along the way, they created hundreds of portraits taken with an antique 40-pound pinhole camera and later exhibited locally.

Pursuing Her Passions

During her first two years of high school, Molly’s precocious intellect was not sated by the typical classroom setting, so she decided to take the initiative and apply to Simon’s Rock.

“I was so bored in high school. I was ready to be done, and I’d only been there a year and a half. I was really interested in learning and the learning process. I was that kid in the class that asked a million questions and drove my teachers absolutely nuts!”

Molly arrived at Simon’s Rock with long-standing interests in both ceramics and teaching. However, after working in the ceramics studio during her first year, her passion for the art form deepened, and ceramics became the primary focus of her coursework. Molly knew what she wanted out of her education at Simon’s Rock, and by her second year was choosing courses not only based on the subject matter, but also because of the faculty. “I was really able to say, ‘These are the people that I want to follow around, that I want to hear more about.’” For Molly, what set the College apart was the ability to get to know her professors and learn what they were passionate about.

One of Molly’s quintessential Simon’s Rock memories was writing an essay for Seminar 1 as a first-year student. “I actually got to say what I was trying to say.” As she worked over revisions, she remembers the professor saying: “It’s about making this statement—and working through it, and talking through it—and making it make sense.” Molly often reflects on those words. “Simon’s Rock is really where I grew up as a writer.”

After college, Molly dedicated several years to international volunteer work in central Asia. She worked with disabled and vulnerable children, and trained local teachers and childcare providers in methods to support these children through yoga and the arts. She returned to Great Barrington, where she and her husband are raising their children. In addition to running Moho Designs and Petit Pilou, she also serves on the board of directors for the Berkshire Co-op Market and co-runs the Great Barrington Arts Market.