Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Nolan.
Hi Katie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in San Dimas, CA and graduated from UC Berkeley a decade ago. Since then, I’ve worked as a research assistant at a company developing psychological assessments, as an admin at multiple institutions including a pharmaceutical company and a financial firm, and in the operations department at an arts institution. Ultimately, I decided to pursue my MFA in Art at CalArts. This is where I am currently, in addition to working at an arts institution and interning as a studio assistant with an LA-based painter. I’m anticipated to graduate in May 2023.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My mom Mary Anne Nolan was an amazingly kind, funny, and strong woman. When she passed away suddenly in June of 2015 I was 23, sleeping in the living room of a large two-bedroom apartment with at least 4 occupants (at one point my presence made 5), temporarily in between jobs, and without a clear direction or goal for my life. I moved back in with my dad and spent a year or so unemployed. I found myself festering in the combination of too much time on my hands and too much grief to know what to do with. I’d dabbled before in watercolor and gouache, and decided it was a great (if one can call any part of the experience of grieving great) time to expand into painting with oils. I began with portraits and continued to paint even when I started working as an office assistant. It felt a bit futile painting alone in my room during this time, and still occasionally does, but it also felt necessary. My mom loved art and photography growing up, but like many of us as she got older she in large part set aside her art. I believe the part of me that is fulfilled by pursuing my own art practice is the same part of her that she was not able to realize when she was alive.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I started out as a realistic figure painter specializing in oils at CalArts and have chosen to use this time at school to push myself to explore other mediums. I have found that (predictably) my art practice has been influenced by the thinking of my peers and the guidance of faculty. I remember being in one critique class when a student remarked that their work was and is dependent upon a loving relationship with their materials. It struck me as foreign because my relationship with painting can often feel like animosity rather than a kinship. Their offhand comment has helped inform my approach to art-making and how I consider the materials I am working with (even if this ends in a fight rather than friendship). Thematically, and somewhat appropriately, my focus has increasingly shifted to examine the physical and metaphorical structures around us that shape our concept of reality. For example, my mid-residency project (a requirement at school) focused on the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum as a symbol of the decay of old Hollywood-style fame and related rise of social media. I am currently working on my Thesis which will include both painting and sculpture.
How do you think about happiness?
I feel fulfilled when I can spend time in nature and volunteer with Nourish LA, a non-profit dedicated to redistributing edible food ‘waste’. Urban farmer Natalie Flores built Nourish LA from the ground up in West LA during the covid pandemic because she saw that there were so many people who needed food and so much excess food being produced and needlessly thrown away. They are always looking for volunteers/donations. You can find more info at https://www.nourish.la/
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @daeread
