Fabulous opening at Touchstone Gallery of my “Unfiltered” exhibit.
‘Unfiltered’ at Touchstone Gallery, Washington, DC
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Tag Archives: fine art
Smart Isn’t Enough
Smart Isn’t Enough
By Contemporary Figurative Painter Leslie M. Nolan
36″x36″ acrylic on canvas
Making one’s way through life is tough. Nikki Giovanni’s poem “Straight Talk” provided the feel and title for this new piece, because its words capture the image’s idea of moving forward despite uncertainty.
Full disclosure, this photographic rendering fails to capture the nuance and richness of the original artwork. I’m sure everyone on earth knows that computer monitors, as well as film, lighting, and digital manipulation all alter reality. Despite photographers’ best efforts, an image can never duplicate 100% the original. It can hint. It can titillate. It can encourage the viewer to go see the painting in a museum or gallery. For artwork, there is no substitute for the real thing – the brushwork, hints of uncovered color, a deep teal hue blending into a rich gray, punctuated by cadmium orange.
In that sense a work of art reflects life. A photo of Machu Picchu cannot begin to duplicate the feeling of being there in the mountains, the wind eratically bending grass, smells of foliage, tactile feel of rock work honed by the hands of citizens from an ancient, long gone civilization.
This one-of-a-kind painting will be at Susan Calloway Fine Arts in September 2015.
There’s A Limit
“There’s A Limit”
36″x36″ acrylic on canvas
by Washington, DC Artist Leslie M. Nolan
Dropped by Susan Calloway Fine Arts over the weekend and caught the lively action of the annual French Market, outdoors along the sidewalks of Georgetown’s Book Hill neighborhood. Good food, shopping bargains, and musicians right at Susan’s doorstep. Ran into friend and fabulous jazz bassist Bhagwan Khalsa who was playing with a group across Wisconsin Avenue.
I had just begun this artwork and was affected by the vibrancy of the street to return to the studio to crank up the color quotient. The results speak volumes. Neutrals always make colors next to them stand out, and that’s the case here, although orange and magenta are pretty bold no matter what’s next to them. Can you discern a fondness for orange…
This artwork will form part of my solo exhibit at Susan Calloway in September 2015.
“Getting Somewhere”
“Getting Somewhere”
48″x48″ acrylic on canvas by Leslie Nolan, Washington, DC Artist
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.
Yellow Alert
“Yellow Alert” by Washington, DC artist Leslie Nolan
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
“Pretending To Be Brave”
48″x48″ acrylic on canvas
Just about completed, I think. Both paintings have a completely different feel to them. One feels cool, and the other warm. One bold, the other quiet. Both appear a bit mysterious.
“Bones Glow Through Skin”
36″x36″ acrylic on canvas
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.
Tottering
An Alchemical Vessel
11″ diameter by 3″ high ceramic bowl, acrylic and graphite
Alchemical Vessels 2015
March 27 – May 22, 2015
Opening Reception: Friday, March 27 | 7-9pm
Benefit: Friday, May 1 (By Contribution Only)
Make your contribution starting on Tuesday, March 10th at 10am!
The Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery at Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St NW, Washington, DC, is happy to announce the return of the Alchemical Vessels Exhibition and Benefit in 2015! This year’s exhibition will run from March 27 – May 22, 2015, with the special by-contribution-only Benefit on Friday, May 1st, where everyone who makes a $150 Benefit-Vessel contribution (beginning Tuesday, March 10th at 10am) can select one of the works in the exhibition to add to their collection! The vessels are selected in the order contributions were made, so the earlier you make a contribution, the earlier you can select your work of art!
This year’s exhibition and benefit features works from over 100 new artists hand-selected by 20 prominent curators. See below for a list of this year’s incredible line-up of artists & our invited curators, and visit www.smithcenter.org/benefit to learn more and make your contribution beginning 10am on Tuesday, March 10th!
Artists:
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
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
Night Poem, Or?
“Night Poem” by Washington DC Artist Leslie Nolan
40″Wx60″H
I just finished this large piece, and at the last minute I decided I liked it best in a vertical vice horizontal formal. The cool thing is that when hung vertically the right side looks terrifically interesting with the drips against the bare canvas around the edge. Installed in a room in the house, this artwork has an enigmatic, yet rich feel, because I used some gray Duron wall paint the same as the wall color. With a black chair in front of it the painting enhances the room, conveying an ultra modern chic. It’s not meant to be decorative, however. Read into the image whatever you like – seascape, landscape, fencing, snowy evening, icy roadway…It’s up to you.
Happy New Year
Washington DC Artist Leslie Nolan’s “This Can’t Go On”
Just finished this new artwork – loose, exciting and unforgettable. Have been thinking a lot about my mother and that there exists a linkage between mothers and daughters that transcends time, distance, and culture. My mother has been and always will be my strength. This artwork, though it bears no resemblance to her, has a strength and implacable perseverance that puts me in mind of her.
This upcoming new year represents a break from the past, so I have joined a new gallery, Susan Calloway Fine Arts in Georgetown, Washington, DC and am working on solo shows slated for September at both Calloway and the Delaplaine Arts Center in Frederick, MD. 2015 should be a fabulous year.
I wish you all the best!
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