Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Norton.
Wendy , we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I grew up on the beautiful North Shore of Long Island, New York but have called Florida my home for the past 20 years. I was always creating as a child and went on to major in Graphic Design in college. After college I worked as an Art Director in Manhattan but soon discovered that painting was my true passion. I decided to pursue that passion full-time and haven’t stopped since. I was fortunate to start showing my work very early on in my career. I’ve been painting professionally now for 10 years and sell my work in many galleries through the US. I am a self taught painter and am inspired by the French Impressionist and Post Impressionist painters.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I paint because it’s my calling and my true passion. I am an oil painter and I paint impasto primarily with a palate knife. I have a diverse body of work and I don’t just focus on one subject. I paint a wide variety of subjects from Coastal and European landscapes to Seascapes, Florals, and Cities. I am inspired daily by the beautiful lush Florida landscape that I live among, along with the many places I have traveled to. I love color and texture and do not shy away from either in my paintings. However I sometimes will paint with a very subdued limited palate. It just depends on my mood. I start a painting with an idea in mind. I don’t plan out the entire piece. I let the painting unfold and reveal itself along the way. I often use photos that I’ve taken for inspiration and reference, and sketch out a few rough ideas. But I never know how my finished piece will look until it’s done.
My intent is to bring out the beauty in everything that I paint. I strive to bring my paintings to life and leave a lasting impression with the viewer. I want to evoke a mood and bring my viewer to another place when the see my work. I want people to lose themselves in the color, texture and light and just enjoy the journey.
The sterotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
Getting started as a Fine Artist comes with its challenges. When I started painting professionally I committed to painting every day even before I was selling. It was not easy since I had small children at the time but I took the job seriously and made the commitment. I would like to give this advice to others starting out. Even if it’s just for two hours a day after your full-time commitment. Follow your passion, paint from your heart, and paint every day and things will fall into place. A quote that always stuck with me was one I heard by a speaker named Earl Nightingale. “Success is when opportunity meets preparedness.”
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
All of my collections of work can be seen on my website www.wendynorton.com. I am also currently exhibiting in the following galleries: James Coleman Signature Gallery in St. Augustine FL, The James Coleman Gallery in Key West FL, Curate Gallery in Rosemary Beach FL, Vinings Gallery in Roswell GA, and Stellers Gallery in San Marco FL,
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wendynorton.com
- Phone: 954-205-7209
- Email: wendycnorton@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/wendynorton_fineart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendynortonfineart/
Image Credit:
Wendy Norton Fine Art
