Norman Christensen

Artist Statement

As a visual artist, my work is influenced by everything around me. But two things are of particular interest to me. The first being the effects of the aging process, both in the natural world and on man made objects. Rust, peeling bark and weathered paint are just a few examples of the patina I admire. Second, observing any item, be it a huge painting or a boulder from 12 inches away reminds us that the largest of items are an accumualtion of small parts. Look closer, and it can seem as if you're being transported back in time to its infancy before it obtained its present size.

This is somewhat how my work develops. Since my main medium is oil pastel, a product that cures quite slowly, I can apply and manipulate it over an extended period of time. In this way, the painting is growing from the first small application of paint to its final patinated self.

Just as life seldom takes the exact path we intended, so goes it with a painting and they don't always age well. At some point, usually after hours of input, you realize you're at the point you must break up and say "It's not you, it's me. Let's not see each other any more".  With perseverance and luck, some painting relationships survive to completion. These are what you see in this gallery and, hopefully, you will find viewing them a positive experience.

So now I encourage you to go look at art and nature, not only from afar, but also from a very close perspective. Go up close and get personal with it... a different point of observation can be a good thing.