Daniel Nolan's passion allows him to really use both hemispheres of his brain.
The artist, who resides in the Ravenswood area of Chicago, is a former nuclear engineer who currently creates works with tinted resin, an organic substance whose properties allow Nolan to only use half an hour, at most, to manipulate the material. ( Incidentally, his items retail for $150-$3,500. ) And with his approach, he balances the creative with the analytical.
Nolan will be among the hundreds of artists at the One of a Kind holiday shopping show that will take place at Merchandise Mart Dec. 5-8.
Windy City Times: Talk a little bit about being a nuclear engineer and realizing art was your true calling.
Daniel Nolan: I actually wanted to be an art major when I entered undergraduate school, but my parents said, "No, no, no—you need a degree that'll get you a job when you get out of college." [Laughs] So I started painted kind of a hobby; then people started asking me if I could do a painting of a lighthouse and other things.
When I'm in a studio, I get into that flow—the mysterious flow everyone talks about where I lose track of time, track of myself. The outside world just disappears, and [the process] is just emotionally cathartic sometimes. I'm just in my own space, which is really helpful to me.
WCT: You work with resin, correct?
DN: Yes, tinted resin. I don't know exactly how I got into it; I believe I saw an article online and said, "Oh, that's kind of interesting." As I played with it, I found it really challenging. Part of the [allure] is that I feel like I'm in chemistry lab; I've got my gloves and respirator on. There's a precise element to it in the mixing. I also find the application really challenging as well; the effects I get can change according to the application. Changing the application technique along with colors can result in a whole new range of pieces that I can play with and explore.
I have a short attention span, so it's fun where I can start with one series and, by the time I'm done with the series, I have a whole new series I can start with because it's evolved naturally.
Plus, I have about 20 or so minutes where I can work with the resin, so it's an intense process. Then I have to wait 24 hours before I can go back to it. It may take me two months to complete a piece, but I work in short bursts—a half-hour to an hour—each time.
WCT: And do you work on one item at a time, or multiple ones?
DN: More often than not, and to make good use of studio time, I'll have anywhere from four to eight pieces at various stages.
WCT: Looking through your portfolio, there are some very intriguing pieces. Two interesting ones, in particular, are from 2011: "My Chest" and "My Torso."
DN: Ah! Those sculptures were prototypes. I actually take canvas or paper and wrap them around people; that's how I get the wrinkles and contours. The two you pointed out involved using myself as a prototype. I unwrapped the canvas off of me; and I used a wire mesh to temporarily hold the canvas in place until I can get resin over it.
Some, like the two you mentioned, are fairly flat. What I love about "My Torso" is that, while there's a green hue to the piece, there's actually no green in it. I think that one has 16 layers; one layer is blue, and it causes the entire thing to reflect back green. But if I put the blue in a different layer, there'd be a different appearance to the piece.
WCT: I love hearing you talk about your process, because I kind of feel like I'm back in science class.
DN: [Laughs] Well, I'm incredibly analytical. My approach to my process is very methodical. Some pieces are more impressionistic where I go with the flow. With others, it's very systematically planned out in advance.
Going back to the torso for a minute, I had the Same Planet Different World dance group come in, and I wrapped them in the canvas. Those were a lot bolder in terms of flatness; with some, you can tell there's a human behind it. Those are really cool experiments as far as what I can do with tinted resin. With the dancers, it was hoping to capture the moment of art interaction [in the series "Projections"].
WCT: What's the biggest change you've noticed in your own art over the years?
DN: When I first started doing the Chicago gallery circuit, I was in pop art, doing a lot of portraits. What happened over the years is that my works got tighter; they were definitely more analytical, with clean, crisp lines. Now, what's happened over the last 10 years is that my art has gotten more looser, more organic; the colors have gotten brighter and my color palette has changed; and I've definitely swung hard toward the abstract. Without trying to, I think I've broken away from the standard definition of a painting—and part of it is me trying to find my own voice.
WCT: What artists do you admire? Who do you follow?
DN: I don't really follow any contemporary folks closely. I like what I like.
But as for the artists who influence me, I really like the old Spanish Masters, like Picasso and Dali. I don't think my work is anything close to that, but the facts that they're very original and have their own voice are things I admire. That being said, I also admire Andy Warhol—not so much for his art ( although what he did for that time was cutting-edge ), but more so for [Warhol's studio] The Factory and how he had it set up, and how he was able to bring other people into his process. I've been able to do that, so it's not just about me sitting in a corner painting; it became a mode of engagement.
See more of Daniel Nolan's art at nolanstudios.com . As for the One of a Kind Show, visit www.oneofakindshowchicago.com .
