Tag Archives: portrait

All Is Not Glam

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Gunnar, 48×48 acrylic on canvas
Washington DC Artist Leslie Nolan in the Studio

It takes a lot of effort to install hanging wire, protective wrapping, box, and transport artwork from the studio to the gallery. Never mind the daily activity of submissions to exhibits, getting the word out, and all the nuts and bolts of being a working artist. Basically, it’s not all glamorous. Non-creative work dominates if an artist expects the art to be sold and exhibited. The real saint in this endeavor remains the uncomplaining and patient assistant taking photos, putting screws in, and doing the heavy lifting.

Gunnar, above, is being wrapped for tomorrow’s transfer to the Allegany Arts Council along with Amy, which is also featured in the Cumberland MD exhibition August 6-27.

Amy and Gunnar Featured at Allegany Arts Council, Cumberland MD

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“Amy” 48×48 painting on canvas by Washington DC-artist Leslie Nolan

Two of my artworks from 2021 are featured at the upcoming exhibition Marina to Mountains at the Allegany Arts Council in Cumberland, MD. This bold, exciting piece, “Amy,” is filled with contradiction. The overall soft color palette presents a calm, serene image which is offset by dynamic and electric black and red outlines. It proclaims that there is much more to Amy than what first appears.

Don’t you love a piece that encourages thinking? There are no simple answers here, only interpretations. I hope you enjoy the mystery of her as much as I enjoyed the making!

Located in the Schwab/Saville Galleries at Cumberland, MD, the exhibit opens with a reception August 6, 6-8 pm and closes August 27, 2022.

Summer in the Studio

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Washington DC Artist Leslie Nolan at the Studio

Loving this new artwork, 48×48 inches. Mysterious, hip and charming. Looks terrific in any space.

Solo Exhibition at Arts Club of Washington

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“Rodrigo” 68×66 inches with artist Leslie Nolan in the studio

Rodrigo, above, and 14 other paintings of mine – many completed the past two years during the pandemic – are on exhibit at the delightful Arts Club of Washington in February 2022. This show represents my newest work in abstract contemporary figure painting with an emphasis on faces and emotions.

In these paintings I reconsider how to view the human form, particularl as it relates to conditions of stress and fragility. Using color, texture and composition, I apply different degrees of abstraction to reveal the intimacy of a private experience.

Arts Club of Washington

2017 I St NW Washington DC 20006 Club Hours Tuesday – Friday 10-5; Saturday 10-2

Free and Open to the Public – masks and vaccination proof required at this time

Exhibition Dates February 4-26, 2022

Opening Reception Friday, February 11 5-7 pm

RSVP required for opening reception. Register now Events – DC Art Events | DC Wedding Reception Venue (artsclubofwashington.org)

Peter in the Studio

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Peter, 60x36x1.5 inches painting on stretched canvas by Washington DC artist Leslie Nolan

Thrilled to share with you this darling and enigmatic large figurative painting. The darks really stand out and give movement and energy to any space, whether home or office. Because of its size, the painting looks terrific at the end of a hallway. The faintly pink hints here and there soften the strength of the darks, lending a wistful emotion to the figure’s pose. It’s at once bold and subtle. Contact me for any info about this piece.

Roy

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Roy, 48×48, painting on canvas by Washington DC artist Leslie Nolan

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!

In the Studio

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Leslie Nolan, Washington DC contemporary artist

A lot going on in the studio. Several paintings in various stages of completion, juggling upcoming shows, arranging shipping and all the other activities involved in running a studio. It’s all a blast, with the creative part the best. I like to try new things – color, pose, emotion, type of paint, collage, and more. I think it’s important to get out of one’s comfort zone and break lose. Anything goes. Anything is possible. What if?

Naked to the Bone

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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”

d”Art Center Norfolk, VA Solo Exhibition

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Am selecting pieces from the studio for my upcoming solo exhibit at d’Art Center, Norfolk, Virginia July 1 – 25, 2021. This painting, “A Pulse Beyond 13,” 12×12 inches, may make the cut. I particularly like the way the black color dances around the square 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.

d”Art Center Norfolk, VA Solo Exhibition

Art Essex Gallery Invitational

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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