Exploring a Lost Medium
David Dolan is an American artist best known for his pioneering work with a formulation of nitrocellulose lacquer that is no longer available.
After environmental regulations changed the chemical formulation of lacquer in 1998, the exact materials used were no longer available, making his original technique effectively a “Lost Medium.”
His body of work occupies unclaimed unique territory in the world of art.
He worked in isolation without influence or reference from 1985 until 2009.
The remarkable properties of his work became noticed by collectors and has been shipped around the world.
While no longer selling publicly he retains a substantial personal collection available privately.
See amazing products and images created with artificial intelligence from my past work by clicking on the link below:
Historical Significance
In 1984 David Dolan began experimenting with nitrocellulose lacquer pigments, attempting to control the exceptionally unique qualities this uncooperative medium possessed. Years of trial and error testing and the developing of many innovative application techniques were to follow. With unyielding persistence, Davids artwork gradually evolved into a truly unique art form all his own
David Dolan’s lacquer paintings occupy a very unusual place in the history of painting because they combine an industrial material, a chemical process, and abstract painting in a way that almost no artists have explored deeply.
1. Traditional Lacquer Art Is Completely Different
Historically, lacquer painting has been dominated by Asian lacquer traditions developed over thousands of years in China, Japan, Vietnam, and Korea. In those traditions:
• Natural tree resin (urushi) is used
• The surface is built slowly through many thin layers
• Artists carve, polish, and inlay materials like gold, shell, or pigment
• The aesthetic tends toward precision, smooth surfaces, and controlled imagery
In contrast, Dolan’s work:
• Uses nitrocellulose lacquer, a modern industrial coating
• Allows fluid chemical reactions to generate forms
• Embraces spontaneous organic structures rather than polished surfaces
• Creates depth through flow and separation instead of sanding and carving
This places the work outside the historical lacquer tradition
Dolan’s body of work is not part of a broader movement. It does not replicate an existing aesthetic lineage. It exists as a self-developed, technically isolated practice.
In a contemporary art landscape often driven by trend, replication, or conceptual alignment, Dolan’s practice is defined by singularity. The absence of external influence became the foundation of his originality. Because he worked in isolation, his visual vocabulary evolved without comparison or imitation. What emerged is a discipline that cannot be easily categorized within minimalism, abstraction, or decorative lacquer tradition.
His lacquer paintings stand as singular artifacts of an era, technique, and artistic vision that may never be seen again.
TheMaterials
The one of a kind paintings were done on the surface of ¼ inch tempered board which is extremely durable and non-porous. The raw pigments David used to make the medium are the same as those used to make conventional oil paint, and have the same color-fast qualities. The difference is in the binders and solvents he used. At no time were non-compatible chemical reactions used to achieve special effects. This was to assure the permanence and longevity of the paintings. Clear topcoats that can yellow and discolor over time were never used. Gloss enhancer was used within the pigments to achieve the desired intensity. The complex layering process yields a unique depth of color that transforms into three dimensional effects that are exceptionally impacted by changes in lighting.
This was an inherently volatile and flammable medium. The studio was in an industrial area and was ventilated in much the same way as an automobile spray booth would be. Protection needed to be worn at all times and an elaborate respiration system was a necessity.
