Astrid Mary Davies (later known as Mollie Steven) was born in Nelson in 1906, the daughter of a scientific photographer.She attended Nelson College for Girls and trained as a teacher at Christchurch Training College before studying at Canterbury College of Art. A member of the Nelson Suter Art Society, she began to exhibit in 1937 then in 1939 spent six months visiting art centres in Canada and the USA studying North American Indian arts, later researching work in Māori design at East Cape under the New Zealand Education Department.

In 1951 at age 45, Steven studied textile design at Hammersmith School of Art, London. From 1951 - 53 she was head of the Preparatory Department at Nelson College for Girls and was remembered as ‘an ardent member of the Suter Art Society’ during this time, with her work selected to hang in the Nelson Hotel during the 1954 Queen's visit.

Steven spent time in London, Paris and Madrid. In 1964 she was elected as an Honorary Life Member of the Suter Art Society in recognition of her donation to the Suter Art Gallery Collection. In 1966 she was represented in the Ascher Award Exhibition with her work 'The Realm of Tāne', selected at the Tate Gallery and shown at the Institute of Contemporary Art, London and in New Zealand. 'Horizon' was purchased from Bett-Duncan Gallery, Wellington and has been displayed in the Wellington Town Hall.