# Lou Nolan (artist)

Louis James Nolan, Jr. (28 June 1926 Washington, D.C. – 24 October 2008 McLean, Virginia) was an American artist who, among other things, designed several United States Navy recruiting posters and, from 1985 through 2007, illustrated about twenty-five USPS stamps. In Navy literature, he is sometimes incorrectly credited as Lloyd Nolan. Nolan also created designs for NASA, the Smithsonian Institution, the other branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, and several federal agencies. His work was honored by the Art Directors Club of New York and Print magazine. He won gold and silver medals from the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington.

## Career

Nolan graduated from St. John's College High School, Washington, D.C., in 1944. He went on to serve in the U.S. Navy from March 11, 1945, to March 31, 1946. Beginning June 27, 1945, he served aboard the USS Savo Island.
Nolan studied fine art at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design in Washington, D.C., and graduated from New York's Parsons School of Design in 1952. He worked as a book designer and illustrator in New York, then returned to Washington to begin a freelance career. Nolan had been working for Creative Arts Studio, Inc., in Washington, D.C., when, in February 1964, in Georgetown, he and two other employees – Bill Duffy and Elmo James White, Jr. (1936–2020) – founded Nolan, Duffy & White, Inc. (ND&W), a commercial art firm. The Navy was the firm's primary client. Around 1971, the firm merged into the predecessor of White64 (E. James White Company → White+Partners, etc.), founded by White. After about ten years, Nolan and Duffy went out on their own. Nolan founded Nolan and Associates, Duffy became a freelance artist.
In the 1960s, Nolan illustrated for The National Guardsman, and, in January 1965, was credited as its Art Director.
Nolan retired in 1995. He died thirteen years later, October 24, 2008, at his home in McClean.

## Selected work
### Book, magazine, and pamphlet illustrations

* Karig, Walter (1898–1956); with Horace Virgil Bird (1912–1984); Nolan, Lou (jacket design and illustrator; not credited, but signed → see back cover) (1954). Don't Tread on Me: A Novel of the Historic Exploits, Military and Gallant, of Commodore John Paul Jones, Founder of the United States Navy, Ever-Victorious in the American Revolution. New York: Rinehart & Company. Retrieved July 22, 2021 – via Internet Archive → The illustration on the book jacket, in color, by Nolan, depicts John Paul Jones going into action against the British. Jones – with his right arm outstretched, pointing, and his left arm raised, pistol in-hand – is yelling, with four artillery men and a cannon in the foreground – a three-masted heavy frigate in the right background and a partial view of frigate with broken mast in the left background. Jones is wearing a white dress shirt with collar, Continental Navy blue coat with red facings (cuffs and lapels), gold buttons, and gold epaulettes; two of the sailers are wearing head dressings, one is wearing a tricorne hat.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: postscript (link) LCCN 54-7074; OCLC 1004900981 (all editions).
       (front cover – right half)
       (back cover – left half)
* Hill, Jim Dan, PhD (né James Daniel Hill; 1897–1983) (author); Nolan, Louis James (illustrator) (1964). The Minute Man in Peace and War: A History of the National Guard (1st ed.). Harrisburg: Stackpole Co. (publisher) & Harrisburg: The Telegraph Press (publisher) → Edward James Stackpole, Jr. (1894–1967) → With illustrations by Louis James Nolan heading each chapter.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link) LCCN 63-22141; ISBN 978-1-2999-2753-7; OCLC 569549 (all editions); OCLC 607042318 (all editions) & 752690050.
* Snippet View – via Google Books..
* Snippet View – via Google Books..

### Posters
#### U.S. Navy recruiting posters

* "Heritage", by Louis James Nolan, Jr. (signed on the lower left), gouache on illustration board, painted and printed in 1959; re-printed in 1973, used throughout the Vietnam War and post-Vietnam War era. Nolan painted it under contract to the Navy Recruiting Command. It is one of the most recognized Navy images of the past 60 years and was recently incorporated into the logo of the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC). The original painting hangs in the stairwell of the Fleet and Family Support Center aboard Naval Base San Diego. Nolan's brother, Bryan Hoyt Nolan (1944–2010), who then was a sailor, and Nolan's son, James Nolan, posed for the painting. Nolan painted it in his backyard in Bethesda, Maryland. The painting depicts a Petty Officer First Class holding the hand of a child on a pier, looking at the historic USS Constitution (Old Ironsides). Catalog no. NH 67050-KN; NH Accession nos. 83-076-A & 69-274-V-01; OCLC 895002022.
       RAD 67509
       RAD 74715
* "Night Run" – "Fly Navy" (Tom "Mongoose" McEwen: Drag Racing) (1975) (12" x 24"). Re: Tom McEwen (1937–2018) – depicts McEwen's 1971 Plymouth Duster Demon Funny Car with "Fly Navy" sponsorship shown on the side. Don Prudhomme (the "Snake") was sponsored by the U.S. Army.
       U.S. Government Printing Office 1975—652–505
       RAD 599–0546
* "Navy Pilot" (1977). Lou Nolan (designer and illustrator); Fred Grumm (art director); Fred J. Maroon (1924–2001) (photographer); Hank Fankhauser (copywriter).
* "Travel Navy" (NRAF 41110) – depicts two small Chinese junk (boats) in the foreground with the USS Miller (DD–535) anchored in Hong Kong Harbour in the background. NH Accession No. 81-156-AJ-01; Catalog nos. NH 69647-KN; OCLC 1054400095.
       NRAF 21120
* "Peak Performance – Fly Navy" – features a Navy jet flying over a city, with another jet and other Navy vessels below. Catalog no. NH 67034-KN.
       NRAF 64409
       NRAF 65411
* "Sail With the Bold Ones" – "Navy" – depicts a sailor in the foreground on a ship hoisting (or taking down) the American Flag while seagulls fly around. The ship in the background is the USS Saratoga (CV–60); 14" x 19" → Catalog no. NH 67040-KN.
       RAD 66308
       RAD 67505
* "Ready for Action" – "Navy" – depicts a sailor in combat attire aboard a battleship.
       NRAF 41113
* "Command the Bold Ones" – "Navy" (1968) – Navy officer recruiting poster. Catalog no. NH 67035-KN.
       RAD 66307
* "Navy" – "Horizons Unlimited" – featuring Douglas A-4 Skyhawks. Catalog no. NH 78801-KN; NH Accession No. 81-156-AI.
       NRAF 41129
* "Esteemed" – "Navy" – depicting portraits of two sailors, female (in front) and male.
       NRAF 11113
* "Then As Now ... Guardians of Freedom" – "Navy" (1966) – Painting of a contemporary sailor and officer (holding binoculars) in the foreground and silhouettes a colonial sailor and officer in the background with the American flag overhead. Issued during the Vietnam War period; 28.5" x 40". Catalog no. NH 67036-KN.
       GPO 1966 O–796–388 ... RAD 66403
* "Pride" – "Navy" (signed on the lower right) – depicting two sailors aboard an aircraft carrier looking at the flight deck with a Douglas A-4 Skyhawk (No. 309) in the background and two runway controllers in the background.
* "Serve With Pride" – "Navy" (signed on the lower right). Catalog no. NH 69646-KN
* "Serve With Pride and Patriotism" – "Navy" (GPO 1966) (1966) (signed on the lower right) – depicts portraits of three modern Navy women: Enlistee, Nurse, Officer. Catalog no. NH 67041-KN.
       RAD 66511 – GPO 1966 O–796
       NRAF 47101
* "Fly Your Own Jet" – "U.S. Navy" – "It's And Education" – featuring an aviator adjusting his helmet. Catalog no. NH 67039-KN.
       RAD 67502
* "Strong for Peace" – "Navy" (1972) – painting, wash, gouache and pencil on paper – features a portrait of a Navy seaman in the background and a combat outfitted personnel wearing a Helmut and life-preserver in the foreground with the USS John Paul Jones (DDG–32) battleship in rough sea between the two. NH Accession No. 97-107-FX
* "Heritage", Lou Nolan (1959)
* "Horizons Unlimited", Lou Nolan (c. 1960s)

#### U.S. Air Force recruiting poster

* U.S. Air Force recruiting poster: Lithograph – "'Our American Eagles' The United States Air Force Salutes The American Bicentennial 1776–1976" (c. 1976) – depicting three Airforce personnel: (i) an airman, (ii) a World War I era pilot, and (iii) an astronaut. In the background is a Wrights brothers bi-plane, two World War I bi-planes, a modern jet, (iv) two eagles, and a star insignia. (image)
    NRAF = Navy Recruiting Aids Facility, a bygone headquarters for U.S. Navy Recruiting located in (i) Baltimore at East Fallsway and Monument Streets – west of the East Monument Historic District and at the Navy Yard Annex, Washington, D.C. The unit was once commanded by James G. Readen (1901–1960).
    RAD = Recruiting Advertising Item

### NASA

* 1970: "The Grand Tour," depiction for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of Pioneer 10 arcing beyond the orbit of Pluto (see Grand Tour program)
          Quote: foregrounded against its red line trajectory and the planets with their blue-green orbital lines. link
* 1984: Nolan designed a patch for NASA that was worn by Christa McAuliffe, the schoolteacher who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Nolan's granddaughter, Nashville vocalist Danica Dora, with vocalist Josh Kaler, recorded an album in 1915, Together in Space – and dedicated it (and the album artwork) to Christa McAuliffe. The album artwork is by Joshua M. Burggraf (born 1983).

### United States Postage Stamps

Nolan designed many stamp products for the U.S. Postal Service® and more than a dozen stamps, including the first five in the American Design series that began in 2002. Some of these stamps have been reprinted in recent years, including:
    Transportation Series (1981–1995)
* 3.4¢ postage stamp: "School Bus", a 1920s-style school bus – at a rate for carrier route third-class bulk mailings by nonprofit organizations.
       1985 → Scott No. 2123.
* 17¢ postage stamp: "Dog Sled." depicting a 1920s Alaskan dog sled witihout reigns or traces, based on archive photographs and a sled displayed (in 1986) at the Smithsonian – a type of sled that was still (as of 1986) built and used in Alaska.
       1986 → Scott No. USA 2135.
       1986 → Scott No. USA 2135A (imperfect).
* 5¢ postage stamp: "Milk Wagon 1900s." link
       1987 → Scott No. USA 2253.
* 5.3¢ postage stamp: "Elevator 1900s USA", depicting a turn-of-the-century elevator, nonprofit; carrier route sort; the 5.3¢ was to accommodate nonprofit third class mailers who presort. Gary Chaconas and Dennis Brown of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing engraved the stamp.
       1988 → Scott No. USA 2254.
* 16.7¢ postage stamp: "Popcorn Wagon", a definitive stamp, depicting a popcorn wagon, "Number 1 Wagon", manufactured by the C. Cretors & Company of Chicago. 16.7¢ was the basic bulk rate.
       1988 → Scott No. USA 2261.
       1988 → Scott No. USA 2261A (imperfect).
    100th Anniversary of the Accounting Profession in the United States:
* 22¢ postage stamp: "CPA."
       1987 → Scott No. USA 2361.
    President Reagan's "Take Pride in America" Campaign
* 14¢ stamped postcard: Depicting a Western Mountain Scene (1987)
    Constitution Series
* 25¢ postage stamp: "Bill of Rights."
    Lettering and calligraphy by Julian Waters.
       1989 → Scott No. 2421.
    The Centennial of the "Pledge of Allegiance"
* 29¢ postage stamp: "I Pledge Allegiance" (1992), depicting an American flag
       1992 → Scott No. USA 2593.
       1992 → Scott No. USA 2593A.
       1993 → Scott No. USA 2594 (re-issue with a red "USA").
    Opening of the National Postal Museum Commemoration (1993)
    Lou Nolan and Richard W. Schlecht (born 1936), designers
* 29¢ postage stamp: "Charles Lindbergh Single," depicting a portrait of Lindbergh wearing an aviator hat who was a 20th century airmail pilot, and, in the background, JN-4H "Jenny" bi-plane #38262 (the nation's first mailplane), a 1931 Model A Ford mail truck, and a railway mail car.
       1993 → Scott No. USA 2781.
* 29¢ postage stamp: "Benjamin Franklin Single", depicting a portrait of Franklin with an 18th century themed printing press (lower right), a mounted mailrider on a galloping horse (upper right), and Independence Hall (lower left foreground), reflecting his career as printer, postmaster and statesmen.
       1993 → Scott No. USA 2779.
* 29¢ postage stamp: "Civil War Soldier Single", depicting a Civil War era soldier playing a field drum with a 19th century themed mounted Pony Express rider on a galloping horse (upper left background) and Concord stagecoach (lower right foreground).
       1993 → Scott No. USA 2780.
* 29¢ postage stamp: "California Gold Rush Miner's Letter Single", depicting a letter with four prized stamps laying on top: And, an undated postmark from Milledgeville, Georgia, and a barcode representing contemporary mail processing technology.
** 90¢ George Washington (1860; Scott USA 39)
** 2¢ Empire State Express (1901; Scott USA 295)
** 24¢ Inverted Jenny (1918; Scott C3a)
** 65¢ Graf Zeppelin over the Atlantic (1930; Scott C13)
       1993 → Scott No. USA 2782.
    Traditional and Contemporary Christmas Stamps (pull toys)
* 29¢ postage stamp: "Christmas Greetings – Toys booklet Multiple"
       1992 → Scott No. USA 2718A.
* 29¢ postage stamp: "Toy Horse Booklet Single."
       1992 → Scott No. USA 2711.
       1992 → Scott No. USA 2715.
* 29¢ postage stamp: "Toy Train Engine Booklet Single", depicting a toy locomotive.
       1992 → Scott No. USA 2712.
       1992 → Scott No. USA 2719.
* 29¢ postage stamp: "Toy Engine Booklet Single", depicting a toy fire pumper.
       1992 → Scott No. USA 2713.
       1992 → Scott No. USA 2716.
* 29¢ postage stamp: "Toy Steamboat Booket Single", depicting a toy steamboat. Issued October 22, 1992, in Kansas City, home of the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures.
       1992 → Scott No. USA 2714.
       1992 → Scott No. USA 2718.
* 29¢ postage stamp: "Christmas Stocking."
       1994 → Scott No. USA 2872.
    Rate Change Series
* G-rate postage stamp: "Old Glory," depicting an American flag – The G-rate, designated as a 32¢ stamp, "for U.S. Addresses only." 1994 → Scott No. USA 2881A.
    American Design Series (2002–2008)
    "The American Design series showcases objects from various regions, eras, and ethnic cultures that combine utility with beauty and function with form".
* 5¢ postage stamp: "American Toleware," a definitive stamp – by Lou Nolan (illustrator); Derry Noyes (designer, Art Director, typographer); and Donald H. Woo (modeler) – depicting a toleware coffee pot," from the Winterthur Museum (2002, 2004). This stamp is not to be confused with two the 15¢ postage stamps, "Pennsylvania Toleware, Folk Art USA" – from the Folk Art Series – in photogravure by Bradbury Thompson (1911–1995), one depicting a straight spout pot, issued in 1979. (Scott No. USA 1775) and one depicting a curved spout (Scott No. USA 1778). The word "toleware" is French for "painted tin" and, since the 17th century, has bee painted by the Pennsylvania Dutch.
       2002 → Scott No. USA 3612.
       2004 → Scott No. USA 3756.
* 10¢ postage stamp: "The American Clock," a definitive stamp, depicting the face of a banjo clock made around 1805 by Simon Willard.
       2002
       2003 → Scott No. USA 3757.
       2006 → Scott No. USA 3762.
       2008 → Scott No. USA 3763.
       2008 → Scott No. USA 3763A (untagged).
* 4¢ postage stamp: "The Chippendale Chair" (2004, 2007, 2014). Nolan's stylized illustration is based on a Chippendale side chair (chair without arms) that is part of a collection in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms, U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. The patterned back features spiral ornaments (scrolls) and carvings of a tassel and a shell.
       2004 → Scott No. USA 3755.
       2007 → Scott No. USA 3761.
       2013
       2014 → Scott No. USA 3761A.
* 1¢ postage stamp: "The Tiffany Lamp" – a definitive stamp, designed by Derry Noyes (aka Derry N. Craig → married to Washington attorney Gregory B. Craig; née Derry Noyes; born 1952) and illustrated by Nolan. The work depicts a lamp designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933), capturing the Art Nouveau movement.
       2003 → Scott No. USA 3758.
       2007 → Scott No. USA 3749.
       2007 → Scott No. USA 3757.
       2008 → Scott No. USA 3749A.
       2008 → Scott No. USA 3758A.
* 2¢ postage stamp: "Navajo Jewelry," a definitive stamp, featuring a squash blossom necklace. Derry Noyes (art director & typographer); Lou Nolan (illustrator); Donald Hung Woo (born 1954) (modeler) (there was no engraver).
       2004 → Scott No. USA 3719.
       2004 → Scott No. USA 3750.
       2006 → Scott No. USA 3751.
       2006 → Scott No. USA 3752.
       2007 → Scott No. USA 3753.
       2011 → Scott No. USA 3758B.
    BEP = U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing

### Undesignated art

* "Untitled". Artist: Lou Nolan. US Air Force Art Collection. January 1, 1995.
* "SAC". Artist: Lou Nolan – depicting a Boeing B-47 Stratojet in flight.
* U.S. Air Force Boeing B-47 Stratojet taking off – Lou Nolan, January 1, 1995.
* "Untitled" – Lou Nolan, February 20, 1986, U.S. Air Force Art Collection.

## Family

Nolan was born to the marriage of Louis James Nolan (1905–1976) and Mary J. White (born 1905). He married twice, first – on June 3, 1950, at Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. – to Emilie Jean Edwards (maiden; 1926–2017); then – around 1985 – to Sara Louise Danis (maiden; 1940–2001), a graphic designer.

## Affiliations

In 1963, Nolan was elected to the board of directors of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chapter of the Izaak Walton League.