I’ve been tweaking this artwork for a few days. I liked its drawing-like, graphic feeling and overall black and white simplicity. Yet, it seemed almost too quiet for a “Nolan.” I fiddled with the image a bit in a graphics program on line, and printed the basic image. Then took felt tip pens in hand and experimented with some color for pop. As soon as I drew in an orange tie, the “ah ha” moment arrived. I grabbed my brush and added the tie into the painting. It provides a feeling of movement and lightness and even light-heartedness that lifts the image into another plane, I think.
Category Archives: visual art
Yellow Alert
Just completed this artwork. Working on a couple of companion pieces. Inspired by spring, renewal, regrowth, possibilities, the affirmation of life.
A recent visit to Baltimore’s Walters Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art provided the inspiration for this piece. Armor, strength, vision, and persistence all come to mind as attributes I tried to imbue into the painting as the figure evolved. The title links the color coded emergency status developed after 9/11 with the predominance of yellow in the painting. And, I think the figure itself projects a feeling of alertness and confidence capable of taking on any unforeseen event.
Also, a reminder that I’ll be having a solo exhibit in September 2015 at Susan Calloway Fine Arts in Georgetown. Susan exclusively represents me in the Washington, DC regional area. This artwork above will form part of that solo show.
Hisaoka Gallery Alchemical Vessels Exhibit
Fun evening last Friday at the Joan Hisaoka Gallery in Washington, DC. My donated artwork, white and gray on a red background on the inside and black on the outside shares the gallery walls with another 124 artist’s vessels. It’s amazing how each piece differentiates itself from the others. We all began with a white ceramic bowl, and the end results celebrates the uniqueness and difference of individuals. I ran into several artist friends at the opening reception, including David Alfuth, with his trademark silver hair above next to me.
Stop by and see the show: 1632 U St NW, Washington, DC. Benefit event slated for Friday, May 1st 7-9 pm for ticket holders. Artists’ closing reception is Friday May 22, 7-9 pm. Please join me for the closing of this beautiful and special exhibit.
Latest Artworks
Alchemical Vessel at Hisaoka Gallery
Honored to have been invited to participate in this super curated exhibit. Transformation of the raw bowl into a healing vessel had its roots in the loss of my lovely mother several months ago. That event sparked a new group of figurative paintings featuring strong, confident women with ever bigger and more extravagant hair, wig or headgear. Each painting became more outrageous, symbolizing fearlessness, freedom to go out of bounds, and permission to be exceptional. For the bowl, I used its curvature to take the idea even further, with the headpiece so large it circles the vessel, enfolding the figure in a protective embrace.
Can you tell I was a bit out of my comfort zone, painting small and circular!? Normally I stand, use large brushes, and fling paint energetically. Happily, I think the results with the bowl are as outrageous and fearless as the work on flat canvas.
Alchemical Vessels 2015
David Alfuth, Beth Baldwin, Rhoda Baer, Emily Biondo, Ed Bisese, Julia Bloom, Raya Bodnarchuk, Joseph Bradley, Judy Byron, Lenny Campello, Jessica Cebra, Mei Mei Chang, Hsin-Hsi Chen, Patterson Clark, Billy Colbert, Susan Cole, Paula Crawford, Michael Crossett, Sarah Dale, Catherine Day, JD Deardourff, Jennifer DePalma, Robert Devers, Jessica Drenk, Patricia Dubroof, Pam Eichner, Dana Ellyn, Margo Elsayd, Susan Finsen & Michael Holt, Sharon Fishel, Kathryn Freeman, Marcia Fry, Adrienne Gaither, Michael Gessner, Carol Brown Goldberg, Pat Goslee, Matthew Grimes, Andrea Haffner, Courtney Hengerer, Jeff Herrity, Maurice “Mo” Higgs, Ryan Hill, Joseph Hoffman, Jeff Huntington, David Ibata, Martha Jackson Jarvis, Njena Surae Jarvis, Rose Jaffe, Mike Johnson, Mariah Anne Johnson, Wayson Jones, Maria Karametou, Sally Kauffman, Elizabeth Kendall, Joanne Kent, Hana Kim, Micheline Klagsbrun , Kitty Klaidman, PD Klein, George Koch, Yar Koporulin, Peter Krsko, Bridget Sue Lambert, Maria Lanas, Toni Lane, Khanh Le, Jun Lee, Kyujin Lee, Nate Lewis, Mimi Logothetis, Steve Loya, Akemi Maegawa, Alex Mayer, Donna M. McCullough, Kathryn McDonnell, Maggie Michael, Vanessa Monroe, E.J. Montgomery, Lucinda Murphy, Ziad Nagy, Leslie Nolan, Frederick Nunley, Cory Oberndorfer, John Paradiso, Elena Patiño, Miguel Perez Lem, Brian Petro, Thomas Petzwinkler, Jeneen Piccuirro, Michael B. Platt & Carol A. Beane, Pattie Porter Firestone, Tom Raneses, Red Dirt Studios, Ellington Robinson, Carolyn Roth, Bonner Sale, Jean Sausele Knodt, Matt Sesow, Foon Sham, Janathel Shaw, Lillian Shaw, Bernardo Siles, Steve Skowron, Jeffrey Smith, Anna Soevik, Langley Spurlock, Stan Squirewell, Rebecca Stone Gordon, Lynn Sures, Tang, Lisa Marie Thalhammer, Valerie Theberge, Michael Torra, Kelly Towles, Dan Treado, Ruth Trevarrow, Tariq Tucker, Pamela Viola, Ellyn Weiss, Lee Wheeler, Catherine White, Sharon Wolpoff, Sue Wrbican, and Jenny Wu
Curators:
Sondra N. Arkin, Artist & Independent Curator | Philip Barlow, Associate Commissioner, DC Department of Insurance, Securities & Banking; Board Member, District of Columbia Arts Center & Millenium Arts Salon | Chuck Baxter, Artist | Robert Devers, Professor of Fine Arts and Ceramics, Corcoran School of the Arts + Design, George Washington University | Thomas Drymon, Curator, doris-mae | Charlie Gaynor, Realtor and Photographer, member of the Mid City Artists | Aneta Georgievska-Shine, Lecturer in Art History, University of Maryland and Smithsonian Institution | George Hemphill, Gallery Director, Hemphill | Francie Hester, Visual Artist | Don Kimes, Professor, Director Studio Art Program, American University Department of Art; Artistic Director, Visual Arts at Chautauqua Institution | Zofie Lang, Artist | Mary Liniger, Executive Director, Art Enables | Akemi Maegawa, Artist | Jayme McLellan, Director & Founder, Civilian Art Projects | Twig Murray, Gallery Director, Athenaeum Gallery | Victoria Reis, Co-Founder, Executive & Artistic Director, Transformer | Nancy Sausser, Curator and Exhibitions Director, McLean Project for the Arts | Andy Shallal, Founder, Busboys and Poets | Stan Squirewell, Artist
Curator Erich Keel’s Remarks at Arts Club of Washington
Arts Club of Washington Opening

Leslie M. Nolan Artist Remarks at Arts Club of Washington With Curator Erich L. Keel Third From Left
Had an interesting and fun November 7 opening for my show of 13 artworks at The Arts Club of Washington. President James Monroe occupied this gorgeous, stately, historic residence and held the inaugural ball upstairs. It is a Washington, DC gem. Curator Erich L. Keel, Head of Education at the Kreeger Museum (Emeritus), made remarks and I had an opportunity to say a few words, too, along with fellow exhibitors Bob Tetro and Jane Godfrey. Hard to tell from these photographs, but it was a huge turnout.
My thanks to the ever-gracious Gallery Director Nichola Hays for her support and expertise. The exhibit is open to the public through November 29. Check it out:
2017 I Street, NW, Washington, DC.
Telephone: 202.331.7282 ext 4
artsclubofwashington.org












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