ABOUT

My name is Nolan, and I am a painter based in Northern California. My work explores the movement of light and water through layers, combining realism with abstraction to capture fleeting moments and landscapes.

Growing up near the Pacific Ocean, as well as frequenting the many lakes and rivers California has to offer, such as Clearlake and Lake Tahoe, I became fascinated by the way light interacts with these environments, particularly water and mountain ranges. I believe these places shaped who I am and the way I think. Water gives me patience and reminds me to breathe, even in troubling times.

I draw inspiration from the art of pinstriping, the precise and flowing lines used to accentuate the curves of cars. While interning at a custom auto body shop, I was fascinated by the discipline and rhythm of that process: the balance between control and spontaneity. That same approach guides my paintings, where I treat my canvas like a pinstriper treats metal—with intention, movement, and a respect for detail. With this, my creative process is rooted in experimentation and exploration, embracing impulse while remaining grounded in intention and structure.

I’ve always found art in the world around me. I aim to create moments of stillness and reflection in a world that often feels chaotic and overwhelming. Even when my compositions appear busy or energetic, I hope they invite viewers to slow down, breathe, and connect—to find calm in the storm. If I could sit on the shore and watch light dance across the water forever, I would. That’s the kind of feeling I hope to capture: quiet, mesmerizing, and endlessly shifting.