About olly
(Yes! I’m in the process of changing my name to Olly!)
Pronouns: They/Them
Olly is a white queer illustrator, PIC abolitionist, food growing enthusiast and community seed saver who is committed to participating in the creative, collective work of building a liberated and flourishing future for all of us.
Through their artistic and community based practices they explore themes of interconnectedness, spiritual ecology, emergence, accountability, community building, Prison Industrial Complex Abolition, Transformative Justice and belonging.
Olly finds direction and purpose in recognizing the power our radical imaginations have in shaping the world we live in and knows that this is one of our most essential tools. Olly hopes their work can be a small contributing part of creating our new culture, grounded in honoring the inherent sacredness of all beings and pushing us beyond violent cultures of imperialism, white supremacy, and capitalism toward a culture of accountability, collective wellness and abundance.
Please read more about Olly’s political beliefs and commitments on their Commitment to Community page.
Recent Interviews & Features
Chicago READER - Tapping into the Infinite Generosity of Seeds
SALA - A Living Room of Ideas Hosted by Silvia Inés Gonzalez with Holly Cahill & Olly Costello
FERTILE FUTURES Exhibit with Saugatuck Center for the Arts
Andersonville Unveils New Mural by Artist Molly Costello
City Bureau- Using Radical Imagination for the Transformation of Our World
Chicago Reader- Voted Best of Chicago 2019; “Best Indie Crafter”
Voyage Chicago-Meet Molly Costello of Molly Costello Art & Design in Rogers Park
Current and Past Projects
WORLD WE WANT SEEDS - A free seed project to help us grow a world rooted in reciprocity, care & hope.
Rogers Park Seed Library - Cultivating Seed Saving Skills/ Sharing Free Seeds with Chicago Residents
Cards for Incarcerated Loved Ones- ‘Because Hallmark doesn’t have an Abolition Section’/ Downloadable Files for You!
Yard Sharing Toolkit- Resources for growing food and sharing land in dense urban environments.