Getting to Know Our PLAG President 

Getting to know PLAG’s President Rhonda Delmolino has been an inspiring experience for many Palmer Lake Art Group members over the years. Rhonda joined PLAG eight years ago and quickly became an active participant in programs and exhibits. After serving as Vice President for two years, she stepped into the role of President in January 2026 and will continue in that position into 2027. 

Her time as president comes during an exciting period of change for both PLAG and her personally. Rhonda and her husband, Felix, have been married for 29 years and are working toward a long-held dream of moving back to the southeast to be closer to family and friends. As they prepare for that transition, Rhonda is finding ways to continue her professional and artistic pursuits in what they hope to be a quiet lakefront community.  As Rhonda has worked at Colorado Springs Therapy Center for the past nine years, currently serving as Creative Director, she is now able to work remotely to collaborate with the leadership on the design of marketing and communications materials, while also devoting more time to growing her own fine art studio. 

An Artist Inspired by Emotional Connections 

For Rhonda, art has always been about creating an emotional connection with the world around her. She is particularly drawn to portraiture, where she seeks to capture a special expression, setting, or moment that will resonate not only with her but with others who view the work. 

Although Rhonda works with acrylic, graphite, and mixed media, acrylic has become a favorite medium. She enjoys the ability to build up layers and textures, using them to strengthen the emotional connection and help tell the story behind each painting. 

Her love of art began early. Growing up between upstate New York and Atlanta, Rhonda was influenced by the beauty, history, and distinctive character of both regions. Her childhood included visits to relatives in the Finger Lakes area of New York, and those experiences helped shape what she continues to value and choose as subjects for her art. 

From Graphite to Acrylic 

In her younger years, Rhonda concentrated primarily on graphite drawing, particularly portraiture. Her talent earned her a scholarship to the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, where she majored in Graphic Design with a concentration in Illustration and Studio Art. 

At the time, she preferred graphite to painting because she enjoyed the control a pencil offered compared with a brush. Her education also included training in gouache for illustration and extensive study of lithography and fine-art printmaking. 

Interestingly, her experience with printmaking eventually helped lead her toward acrylic painting. Learning to create lithographic screens gave Rhonda a comfort level with building flat layers of shapes—from large forms to smaller details—using different colors and gradually increasing levels of detail. She found that this process translated naturally into working with acrylics. 

After college, Rhonda spent approximately ten years working as a graphic designer and illustrator in Atlanta, Georgia, and Raleigh, North Carolina. Eventually, she stepped away from her professional design career to focus on raising their family (3 wonderful sons) with Felix, a military service member. They lived in 4 different states around this beautiful country before eventually making their way to Colorado Springs. 

As their children grew older, Rhonda began bringing her past and present together by returning to her fine-art roots. In 2016, she established White Owl Art Studio, a home-based commissioned art studio where she creates commissioned pieces while continuing to pursue her own artistic goals. 

A Creative Process Fueled by Inspiration 

Rhonda’s creative process can begin in several different ways. Sometimes an image, experience, or idea immediately captures her attention. As a commissioned artist, however, the process often begins with a conversation and brainstorming session with the person who has trusted her to create something meaningful and unique. 

Her goal is to find the best visual way to tell the story of the subject. 

Sometimes she has an immediate vision for a painting. More often, she enjoys letting her imagination wander. One of her favorite ways to spark new ideas is by looking through art magazines and books. Her collection includes art books, decorating books, cookbooks, travel books, and just about anything else with compelling visual imagery. 

She describes having extensive files filled with images that inspire her. In the evenings, she enjoys relaxing on the sofa and flipping through them. Eventually, an image or combination of images will spark an idea, and she will reach for her sketchbook to make simple sketches and notes. 

Those initial ideas gradually develop into more refined compositions, eventually becoming a new canvas. 

Artists Who Have Influenced Her Journey 

Rhonda believes her artistic development has been shaped by many people throughout her life. From relatives who encouraged her when she was young, to professional artists who encouraged her in high school, to professors during college and instructors she has encountered more recently, each has contributed something to her journey. 

She also continues to grow by attending art shows and taking classes to learn something new. Rather than seeing artistic development as something that ends with formal education, Rhonda views it as an ongoing lifelong process that is free to change, evolve, and grow naturally with life experiences. 

Among the artists from art history she particularly admires are Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Paul Gauguin, Gustav Klimt, and Georgia O’Keeffe. For portrait inspiration, she especially adores John Singer Sargent and Mary Cassatt. 

The Wandering Owl 

Rhonda’s creativity extends beyond the canvas. In 2023, she took on the ambitious project of self-publishing a children’s book, Good Night Owl, a single book which she plans to continue into the Wandering Owl Series in the future. 

For the book, Rhonda created more than 40 full color illustrations with the goal of visually engaging the imagination, sharing a message of being grateful, and making story time a memorable part of family life. 

Creating the book taught her many lessons about the relationship between writing and illustration. She began with individual thumbnail sketches while developing the storyline but soon discovered that additional time was needed to develop the compositions and create a visual thread connecting the illustrations throughout the book. 

The self-publishing experience had both advantages and challenges. Rhonda appreciates the opportunities the process can provide, but she also recognizes the tremendous commitment involved in creating a children’s book as both an artist and an author. 

When she continues the Wandering Owl series, she is considering working with a publisher who can provide additional support and expertise, particularly with the professional editorial process. 

The Reality of Being a Professional Artist 

Rhonda readily acknowledges that being a professional artist is hard work. 

“It’s rewarding and wonderful,” she explains, “but it is also filled with ups and downs.” 

The beauty of a finished painting is only the visible part of the process. Behind every completed work are countless hours of thought, experimentation, preparation, painting, and revision. What viewers see is, in Rhonda’s words, “just the tip of the iceberg” compared with the work that went into creating it along the way. 

One lesson that has been particularly valuable to her has been maintaining work outside her studio. Having a professional career alongside her art has provided a balance between financial security and the freedom to create—something she feels has been an important part of her journey as an artist. 

What PLAG Means to Rhonda 

For Rhonda, PLAG truly represents “a place where artists gather.” 

She values the way the organization welcomes artists of all skill levels, at different phases of life, and with diverse artistic interests. The opportunity to come together, share ideas, and support one another has become an important part of her own artistic experience. 

She is also proud that PLAG offers a student scholarship. Supporting young artists and helping build confidence in future generations is another way the organization encourages artists to create, to work hard toward artist goals, and to pursue the journey of their own unique dreams in art. 

After eight years as a member, several years of leadership, and countless hours of involvement in the organization, Rhonda’s appreciation for PLAG is clear. She is grateful for the friendships, experiences, and artistic growth the group has provided and is happy to be part of a community where artists gather, learn, and encourage one another. 

When you live life with a grateful heart, the possibilities are endless! As Rhonda looks toward her exciting next chapter of moving with her husband to live on the waterfront, her artistic journey will continue to evolve. With a strong faith guiding her, White Owl Art Studio, commissioned work, her love of acrylic and mixed media, and an imagination that is continually fueled by the world around her, there is little doubt that this next chapter will bring new ideas—and plenty of new canvases.  

As Interviewed by Kathleen Seelye, PLAG Website Coordinator