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Old 10-05-2004, 22:33   #1
Atarah
Senior Member+
 

Mr Johnny Nolan - "a man before his time" Died 1979

I just want to mention Mr Nolan again, just in case we have any "newbies" who never saw the original posting. I was lucky enough this weekend to actually see some of his marvellous carvings. They deserve to be seen by more people, perhaps at The Haworth Art Gallery. Would be nice if we could get permission from his rellies to exhibit them there, and acceptance from The Haworth to show them, eh?
Mr John (Johnny) Nolan was a market trader in Accrington for over thirty years (Accrington Market Hall) but was also a distinguished amateur sculptor and artist in wood. He was a student at the old Accrington School of Art and Crafts (the old Grammar school building, Blackburn Road, now of course demolished) where he excelled in drawing and painting. He pioneered a marquetry technique of his own design, which he jokingly called "Nolancraft". He created pictures by superimposing wood of different colours and textures on each other, to produce striking results! He first began "Nolancraft" using bits of chopped up pianos and furniture and relying only occasionally on timber merchants. One day he did a jigsaw puzzle vertically, instead of horizontally. One of his first major works was picture of Hereford Cathedral (see below) which took him almost 2 years to complete. To depict the Battle of Britain he did a lion with an eagle, which Mr Nolan always considered his best piece. As well as his marquetry, Mr Nolan worked on many busts of famous people including Winston Churchill (now in Baxenden Con. Club), John F Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth and Pope Paul (made of marble). These and some of his other works he displayed at his grocery stall in the front of Accrington Market (the one that is back to back with the sweets stall). He also painted in oils and In his late 80's completed a painting of his living room as well as a marble bust of himself. Mr. Lomax of the cooked meat stall in Accrington Market Hall has a self portrait which Mr Nolan once did of himself. In his younger days Mr Nolan was an enthusiastic flyer and in the mid 30's built himself a plane "The Flying Flea". (photo below, Mr Nolan is the one on the left). The photo was taken outside what is now Clark's Motorbike shop at the bottom of Whalley Road.
He was a member of the now demolished Sacred Heart Church.
Mr Nolan.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg mrnolanandherefordcathedral_resize.JPG (77.8 KB, 202 views)
File Type: jpg Mrnolanandflyingflea_resize.JPG (78.2 KB, 159 views)
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