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I am loving this painting for the unexpected red (oil stick I picked up in Paris). I like the vibration that the red gives off, as well as the feeling of isolation in a landscape where he could so easily merge without identity. Merging is fine, but standing out and making a difference, claiming your space, is better. We only have one life. Make it count!
This recent painting of a young man is on exhibit at the Lore Degenstein Gallery of Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania from November 6 through December 15 for the 12th Annual Figurative Painting Exhibition. Many thanks to juror Anne Harris and gallery director Laura Libert.
Just finished this fun guy and am loving his bold take on life. At 68×66 inches, he makes a real pop of color and contemporary impact in any space.
Am fascinated with camouflage these days. Hunter or hunted. Hidden messages. Hidden emotions. Also, it’s fun and clever. Pink spots make me smile.
This exciting solo exhibit features many of my newest abstract figurative paintings. Like all of my artwork, it explores the blur between reality and the imagined, depicting emotions and feelings.
The title Naked to the Bone is particularly apt because it comes from one of my favorite poems by Pacific Northwest poet Theodore Roethke, much celebrated in the 1950s and 1960s. The poem “Open House” expresses the emotion of having your innermost feelings on show – I think it has particular relevance for this special exhibition:
“My secrets cry aloud…I’m naked to the bone”
Am selecting pieces from the studio for my upcoming solo exhibit at d’Art Center, Norfolk, Virginia July 1 – 25, 2021. This newly completed painting, Roy 48×48 inches, may make the cut. I particularly like the way the black color grounds and strengthens the figure, making a powerful and compelling statement against the lush background. It epitomizes the rich relationship between ourselves and our surroundings, often at odds, yet inevitably part of one another.
Art Essex Gallery is currently featuring these two paintings above, James and Naranja, both 40×30 inches acrylic on canvas completed in 2021. Check out the gallery’s Invitational Exhibition available online through May 15 at http://www.artessex.com.
Juried by New York City art critic and art writer David Masello, the exhibition focuses on the unpredictable, the best and most exciting feature of a work of art. “Unpredictable” is a great word – the opposite of expected and boring. Can’t begin to tell you how that word has informed my art practice over the past years. I hope you enjoy these two vibrant and exciting pieces above from this exhibition. We all need to look at the world differently as life constantly evolves and changes. I think these two lively pieces reflect the unexpected from me.
To see more work, visit instagram at leslitnolanstudios, Calloway Fine Art & Consulting, and http://www.leslienolan.com
The studio in winter, with good light streaming in from window doors, makes a happy place to be as wild and crazy, bold and risky, unexpected and original as any artist could desire. Neatness does not count! The important thing is to try something new. Trust oneself.
This is the first painting of 2021 completed in the studio. The January chill in the air mandates bundlng up in painted layers of silk, flannel, wool, and down quilting. Perhaps that explains the choice of white and icy blue in Sara, above. The rust-red helps to impart a warmer feel to this free-wheeling painting. I think we should all be celebrating the move into a new year promising hope and change. Fingers crossed!
Three new pieces in the studio. Left to right: Jesse 20×20; Sonny 36×36; Sigrid 20×20
Love the feel of these three pieces. Each carries his/her own personality and character, filled with ambiguity and charm, strength and concern. Their commonality lies in their uniqueness – a singular take on modern life and survival. Each individual is one of a kind, exceptional and extraordinary. Every human being carries a unique signature, like DNA, that reflects how life has been lived and how it’s to be continued. Rare, strange and different are high accolades, not something to be shunned. Better to stand out than fit in.
Contact the artist for details: leslie@leslienolan.com
Or, gallery@callowayart.com
See more paintings on instagram @leslienolanstudios
