David Nolan |
David Nolan (b.1966)
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Examples of Paintings Portrait ofReverend Ian Paisley. Portrait of Samuel Beckett. Portrait of Van Morrison. Turquoise Vase. (Are there echoes |
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Born in Dublin, he studied Visual Arts at the Dublin college of Marketing and Design, before moving to Los Angeles USA where he worked as an artist in Disney's animation studios. Thereafter, in addition to working on private commissions, he established himself as a freelance Background Painter and later as an art director involved in projects in Dublin, London, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Berlin for companies like Warner Bros, Sullivan Bluth and RTE. He was also commissioned by the Irish government to complete a series of Irish landscapes depicting conditions during the era of the Celtic High Kings of Ireland - works which he based partly on the mythological writings of WB Yeats. He also lectured in art at the College of Art and Design in Dun Laoire, Co Dublin. He has worked and studied with several Irish representational artists including: Norman Teeling, Paul Kelly, Henry McGrane, Kevin McNamara, and John Morris, as well as with English masters like, Spencer Hodge, Adrian Radcliffe and French Artist, Marc Destors. |
POSTMODERNISM |
Influenced by the likes of Lucian Freud, Richard Schmid, and the great Impressionist from America John Singer Sargent, Nolan's approach to portraiture provides an interesting insight into his artistic philosophy. He is strongly drawn to the historical and literary figures preceding the modern Celtic Tiger: the heroes of the Celtic Dawn, the Irish Literary Renaissance of W.B.Yeats, James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, and painters like Jack Butler Yeats and Sir John Lavery. Using his acute powers of observation, his flair for drawing and the tonal language of Impressionism, he seeks to recapture the ability of his predecessors to transmit the legacy of their literature, lore and art which underpins so much of present-day Irish culture. As he says: "It is an honour to bring to canvas the images of these great writers, poets, musicians and thinkers..." His Beckett portrait (see the larger version on Nolan's website) is a case in point. Nolan's treatment of light highlights the powerful nose, the tight concealing mouth and searching eyes. One feels that Beckett is examining you, rather than the other way around - a powerful, almost daunting interpretation. |
At the same time, Nolan clearly enjoys holding up his mirror to contemporary figures like Paisley, Morrison and Bono. His acute study of Rev Ian Paisley is a masterful snapshot of ageing doubt, while his Van Morrison work captures a marvellous moment of wistful distraction. One could look at any of these works for hours. As well as portraits, Nolan has painted a range of plein-air landscapes, cityscapes (see his new series of Venice compositions below), and some beautiful still lifes. Check out his website for more examples. Although heavily involved in commissions, Nolan has shown works in several solo and numerous group exhibitions, in Ireland and France. His paintings are represented in numerous private and corporate collections. Our Opinion Nolan's acute, fascinating portraits place him among the best Irish painters. The fact that they comprise a small percentage of his overall output gives a clear indication of his range and talent. If I wasn't so afraid of what he might see in my face, I'd commission him tomorrow. To contact David Nolan, or to commission a portrait (prices start at around €1200) or to see more examples of his work, or to find out about the new arts club Oil Painters of Ireland, please visit his website: www.davidnolan.net
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For more about contemporary artists in Ireland, see: Homepage. Visual
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