36×36 painting on canvas by Washington, DC area artist Leslie M. Nolan
Newly completed and available in my Virginia studio. Contact me directly – leslie@leslienolan.com
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Overland Park National Juried Exhibition
Rafe, 30×30 acrylic on canvas by Washington, DC artist Leslie Nolan
Very honored to have two of my paintings selected for the prestigious City of Overland Park, KS, National Juried Exhibition. Rafe, above, one of the selected works, is a wonderfully expressive painting that defines the fast pace of contemporary life and would look terrific either in the office or at home. It makes me think! And, it seems to emanate both energy and wit, in addition to sporting a color palette that works with any wall.
Many thanks to the talented artist Johne Richardson who served as guest juror for the exhibition.
Washington, DC Artist Leslie M. Nolan in her Virginia studio
These are two paintings from my new series of figures showing women striking the same pose. It proved to be a fun and challenging project. Completely out of my imagination, the figures more than fill the space of the canvas. They’re pink, purple, white, and black with bright-colored backgrounds. By adopting a confident, casual pose each figure exudes energy, independence and freedom. I like the feel of these paintings. They’re diverse, yet similar. They’re bold, yet not in your face. They seem to be celebrating both uniqueness and commonality — appealing concepts for all people.
Nigel
Nigel, 48″x36,” acrylic on canvas by Washington, DC-artist Leslie M. Nolan
Nigel made its way to SCOPE Miami Beach 2018 with me and caused quite a stir at the JanKossen Projects booth. Filled with emotion, the painting features rich, thick, and creamy paint in large gestural sweeps. Drips, drops and smudges all add to a chaotic mix, much like life itself. Thanks to Jasmin Kossenjans and her terrific staff for taking good care of me and mine.
My paintings are also available at Susan Calloway Fine Arts, Washington, DC — http://www.callowayart.com.
Heading to SCOPE Miami Beach
Selecting and packing artwork bound for SCOPE Art Pavilion Miami Beach this week. Drop by and see the show at JanKossen Contemporary, Booth H35, at 8th St and Ocean Drive in the heart of lively South Beach. Dates: December 4-9. https://scope-art.com
Glen
Glen, 48 x 36 inches, acrylic on canvas by Washington DC artist Leslie M. Nolan
Starting from a pose by my husband, I placed the figure in the rectangle to best advantage. The pose not only radiates strength, but also wistfulness, characteristic of young men coming into their own. Wanting to convey yearning, youth and energy, my color selections and brushwork express excitement and vibrancy to achieve those goals.
I very much like the raw feel of the piece. Doing more would give it a polished, slick look — the exact opposite for a young man with his whole life in front of him!
In the Studio
Working in the studio on my newest painting, Anton, 48″ x 36″ acrylic on canvas.
LA Invitational
Excited to have Corrected Vision 5, far right, selected for the LA Invitational at George Billis Gallery LA. A great art city, Los Angeles celebrates contemporary art with a ton of top notch galleries and first rate museums. Kudos to gallery director Tressa Williams for organizing and curating this super show.
The Making of a Painting – Leon
An artwork starts with an idea – what to convey. Since I strive for ambiguity, I think Leon (above) achieved that goal.
Then decisions about how best to convey that idea. In my case, it comes down to paint on canvas, color choices, close up or full body image of the figure, placement in the rectangle, whether tools will be brush or palette knife, shiny or matte finish…
All decisions affect the outcome and feel of the artwork. These choices – i.e., the process – become mere means to an end. The critical issue remains, “What is the goal?”
I always start with a quick cartoon on blank canvas. Expanding on that, I then add background color on the figure to integrate the figure with its surroundings, and spend the rest of my efforts working on an overall unified piece that results in a stand-alone, wow image never seen before. In between sessions there is time to dry. But, I find that overworking can kill an artwork, so less is more.
Latest Work
These abstracts are 36″x36″ paint on canvas and available at the studio.
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