Though she lives and works in Sydney, Nola Farman has strong ties to Western Australia. She was born in Subiaco and studied at Perth Technical College before travelling overseas where she studied at Canada’s OCAD University. She became an OACA (Associate of the Ontario College of the Arts) before returning to Australia to complete her doctorate at the University of Western Sydney.
As an interdisciplinary artist Farman works across a variety of different media from painting, drawing and sculpture to both static and sound installations. She is also involved in book making and publishing and is one of those devoted individuals more interested in making art in all its’ different forms than applying herself to commercial popularity.
Her work is represented in the collections of the Art Gallery of WA, the Art Gallery of NSW, the National Gallery of Australia (library), the University of Western Australia, Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, MOMA (library) New York, Yale University (library), the Tate Gallery (library), Bibliotheque Nationale de Paris and numerous collections both public and private across the world.
Some of the major projects she has completed include The Life of Claisebrook in East Perth, The Subterranean Listening Device in Mundaring, The Tidal Indicator in Brisbane, The Wind Tree at Griffith University Queensland, The Ice Tower at Flinder’s University and The Cascade in Singapore.
During a brief communication with the artist (to determine the authenticity of this work) she admitted to being rather careless about signing her works and failing to keep accurate records.
Nola Farman is another of those important Western Australian artists that has not required a high profile. Her works are rare.