Nolan.Studio

Working on the process table for LOOK: An Unexpected Art Experience @langstonblvdalliance

This tables shows how I make paintings. Jeans are bleached, washed, cut, washed, sorted, and pieced before it ever becomes a painting.

I’m still working on how to present the denim remnants (without getting lint everywhere).

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

Planet #8 has been accepted into the 2026 Hill Center Galleries exhibition @hillcenterdc, on view Jan 11 - May 2, 2026.

Planet #8
 Acrylic on bleached, reclaimed denim 15.75 × 19.4 in • 2024 • $1,000

A purple-pink sky streaked with reds and maroons churns above a storm-raked surface. White dots flicker like wind-caught stars.
 A slim horizon gap appears as the denim dries, adding tension to this dusk-like atmosphere.� Grey terrain is swept with mossy greens and pale yellows — a world shaped by a storm in passing.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart #HillCenterDC

#109 Acrylic with alcohol lift and reductive glaze on bleached denim.

This piece started in a good place — then I kept painting, and kept trying to get back to that earlier “good.” 
Eventually I realized I couldn’t return to it. But I could make something new that was also good.

This was the first time I experimented with alcohol lift and a reductive glaze. Washing the paint away changed more than the color — the denim itself shifted, dried into new shapes, new topographies. 
I decided to keep those changes in the final work.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

Cutting denim. The step after bleaching (and first wash & dry).

Each pair becomes parts for future paintings: seams for Forest works, pockets for Hibiscus, strips for Oceans, and panels for nearly everything else.

I use every part of the jeans (even the parts lost to bleaching).

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist
#abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart
#artprocess #studiopractice #timelapseart

Bleaching denim — the first step in my process.
 From here it’s washed, dried, cut, sorted, and saved for future pieces.
 Months might pass before this denim reaches a frame, but this is where every work begins.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart #artprocess #studiopractice #timelapseart

I’m excited to share some of the smaller works I included in my portfolio review for @dcartscenter — pieces that would fit in their Nano Gallery.

Acrylic on bleached denim, scaled down but made with the same materials and process as my larger works.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart #smallworks #DCAC

I first tried mosaics using back pockets and larger denim pieces, but the tiles were too big — more hodgepodge than mosaic.

Later, a hibiscus in our garden gave those back pockets a better purpose.
The smaller pocket-watch pockets became the tiles for these new Mosaic pieces.

Sometimes the acrylic wash holds them in place on its own; sometimes acrylic or Mod Podge helps.

These mosaics bring in texture differently than my other techniques, and give me another way to explore acrylic wash — and make sure no paint goes to waste.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting
#modernpainting #intuitiveart #smallworks #timelapse

I’m excited to share that my application for curatorial consideration at the DC Arts Center has been approved. I’m now part of DCAC’s roster of exhibiting artists.

These are the full-size works I included in my submission — each one built from reclaimed denim: cut, bleached, washed, pieced, and painted.

More to come.

— @nolan.studio.art

#denimart #abstractpainting #upcycleddenim #DCArtsCenter #DCAC #DMVartist #denimartist #modernpainting #intuitiveart #abstractdenim

I stopped by @capitolrehabofarlington today to pick up my paintings.

Back when I dropped off Ocean #4, one of the staff told me that the nook where it hung would become her favorite spot in the office because of Ocean #4.

Today, I brought her a study, similar in feel to the painting she connected with. I hope it brings her the same joy Ocean #4 did.

Thank you to Capitol Rehab for supporting local artists in the Arlington Artists Alliance, and to the staff who shared how much the work meant to her.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

I’m excited to share that my work will be part of LOOK: An Unexpected Art Experience, presented by @langstonblvdalliance.

These five paintings: Cherry Blossoms, Forest w/ Sun, Passion #2, Rebirth, and Sorrow (Planet #14), will be included.

Each made from reclaimed denim — bleached, pieced, and painted — finding new form from the familiar.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart #LookArlington

These started with a matched pair of denim scraps — small enough to become earrings.
My first art show was coming up, and I wanted pieces at more than one price point.

I planned to surprise my wife with the first set, but I couldn’t keep the secret.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart #smallworks #handpainted

#49. Third in my 2024 series.
Unlike the earlier 2024 paintings, where blue and red blended into a moderate purple, I wanted the colors here to stay somewhat distinct, with the red taking on an orange insistence.
The foraged frame was too large for my (messy) table, already littered with paint bottles and drying pieces. So I painted it directly on the floor.
With the amount of paint I was using, the porousness of denim, and the open areas where denim was absent, the paint smeared and seeped through to the floor — leaving an ephemeral work of its own.
The frame also needed more denim than I had ready, so I ran to my dresser and grabbed a pair of jeans I wasn’t fond of. Bleached, cut, dried, and stretched. Onto the frame they went.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart"

Creation of DMV landmark greeting cards.
Stencils cut.
Base layer down.
Landmarks revealed.
Splatter to finish.
Hirshhorn. National Aquarium. National Museum of African American History and Culture. National Museum of the American Indian. National Gallery of Art – East Building.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #postcardart #greetingcards #smallworks #handpainted #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

A set of my Cherry Blossoms postcards found a new home today.
Lately I’ve been exploring smaller formats, postcards and greeting cards, as a way to test methods, experiment, and otherwise have fun on a smaller scale.
New idea that came from this was new ways to block paint (rather than a random strip of denim), like stencils (that I make).

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #postcardart #greetingcards #smallworks #handpainted #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

Hibiscus #2
Acrylic on bleached denim with denim remnants

Pockets to petals.
Fluff to pollen.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

Unzipped
Acrylic on bleached denim with denim closures.

Shown with detail shots highlighting the raised texture — where painting starts to edge into sculpture.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

I had old kids’ clothes on hand, did some research, and ended up with fabric hardener and lights. The result: hollow children (aka ghosts).

Now, I have ideas…. Bleached denim prepare for fabric hardener and maybe lights.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

Tonight was the Ceremony exhibition reception — my first accepted juried show — and Easter Lost received 2nd place. I’m shocked and deeply honored.

Described by the jurist as a “3D wall painting,” it remains one of the most personal pieces I’ve made.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

I just dropped of Wedding Ring and Easter Lost at the Arlington Artists Alliance Gallery for the upcoming exhibition, Ceremony. Opening Thursday (23 Oct)

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

A hole opened in my favorite #jeans today (not pictured).

The last pair (pictured) that did this became part of multiple paintings. I imagine these will too, someday — probably sooner than I’d like.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart #artprocess

I just finished piecing Ocean #12 and #128. #128 is likely going to be a future Forest series painting.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart #bleacheddenim #artprocess

Ocean #4 bridges two series I was exploring at the time: Ocean and Sunrise. The result feels like both—the surface of water and the edge of day.

Ocean #4, now at Capital Rehab, @capitolrehabofarlington

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

Two of my works were accepted to Ceremony the upcoming Arlington Artists Alliance Member Juried Show!

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

Forest #12 — now showing at Capital Rehab (Oct 8 – Nov 19).
I started this piece nearly a year ago, experimenting with a base of purple, pink, and green — colors I hadn’t used together before. I went from a full sun (from Forest #3) to a half sun, better giving that impression of rising or setting. For months, I didn’t like my technique; the trees didn’t feel right, too much background was peering through.

But somewhere in finishing it, the painting finally came together. Now it’s one I really enjoy.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

Jeans. Bleach. Cut. Wash. Dry.
Denim has been part of my life for decades—familiar, comfortable, and full of possibility.
I turn reclaimed denim into paintings, earrings, and cards—seeing what new forms can emerge from what might otherwise be discarded.

Seeing beauty—art—in the everyday. — Nolan.Studio

#DMVartist #denimart #upcycleddenim #denimartist #abstractpainting #modernpainting #intuitiveart

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@nolan.studio.art

I share behind-the-scenes process, new pieces, and exhibition updates on Instagram.

Exhibitions

If you’d like to see my work in person, I regularly exhibit throughout the Greater DC, Maryland, and Virginia area.

Current and Upcoming

Sterling Picture Framing · Opening Dec 12, 2025
Hill Center Galleries 2026 Regional Juried Exhibition · Jan 11 - May 2, 2026
Arlington Philharmonic · Feb 6-7, 2026
LOOK: An Unexpected Arts Experience · Opening Feb 20, 2026

Jeans. Bleach. Cut. Wash. Dry. Wood, nails, hammer. Dryer lint. Acrylic.

Becomes…

Ocean. Forest.

Planets. Mosaic. Passion. Life.

Washington. 2024!

Echoes. Becoming. Drift.

I’ve kept every pair of jeans I’ve owned since I was a teenager, without knowing why. Maybe it was the comfort, the familiarity, a story my grandfather told me, or simply the feeling they had more to give. Jeans carry warmth, memory, and history—art worn into them over time. The bleach, the cutting, the washing help those stories and emotions surface, revealing what was always there.

Jeans are something we wear everyday. There is beauty—art—in the everyday.

Nolan.Studio

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Exhibitions

Current and Upcoming

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Nolan.Studio

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Follow along on Instagram

Exhibitions

Current and Upcoming

Home

Small Works

About