Check out V. Norton’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to V. Norton.

V, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I have been a professional artist for over 40 years. I am a dual artist, creating both in ceramics and calligraphy. I have been in Sedona, AZ. for over 30 years. I came over from Venice, California, where I lived after graduating from UCLA. I was ready to leave city life and come to the country. I draw my inspiration from the native landscape, people and animals to create my present and evolving works in clay.

I have traveled extensively in Mexico, North and South Americas, Europe and Africa, I found in every country the indigenous people creating masks to represent their spirits. I too am a mask maker, both large and small.
I studied calligraphy for ten years and learned about ten alphabets and also bookbinding. Everything was done by hand then, and I like to think I am carrying on this tradition. I have taught calligraphy as well for most of my career. My last job was at Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff, AZ Now I do original artwork, and prints and card to survive in this age of the computer. But create I do!

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?
Porcelain is the clay I like to use in my ceramic creations. I have a high fire line of functional bowls and mugs in a turquoise glaze that can go into the oven or microwave, I also like to play with the bright colors of low fire. I make a line of ” folk art”, which includes horses with tales, and cat boxes with whiskers. I love creating my masks, which I decorate with feathers and lately, horse hair. I am influences by the southwest I live in, and my imagination, where I also dwell.

My calligraphy tends to be sayings of Native Americans, as we have several tribes around northern Arizona. I like to like to create large, original pieces with different alphabets to exhibit in shows. My book arts are an extension of my calligraphy.

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?
The irony is, as artists we are always interested in creating the ” new” and the different. The reality is the galleries, and you, want to find something that you can make consistently and that will sell. That and hard work Go to your studio every day and do something,

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?
I have a website www.claywrite.com. I just signed up on Instagram as clayartist13. I exhibit my original work at the Jerome Artists’ Cooperative, in Jerome, AZ. and the Sedona Arts Center here in my home town of Sedona. They can also contact me directly for a special order at claywrite@gmail.com.

Contact Info:

• Address: V. Norton , Sedona, AZ
• Website: www.claywrite.com
• Email: claywrite@gmail.com
• Instagram: clayartist13

Image Credit:
V. Norton

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