Sue Norton

I grew up in Iowa, went to college in Dallas, Texas and married into New England, where I have spent the rest of my life. Until recently most of my creative endeavors were spent teaching art to New Hampshire public school elementary students. Since my retirement in 2011 I have been able to spend more time in my studio making art.

I have an intrinsic need to make art. For me, art is a human expressive form that has been given shape as a result of experiencing my inner or outer world. My creativity takes place in my studio, am trying to express. My absolute passion for color and texture comes from my reverence for the work of Henri Matisse and Vincent Van Gogh. Matisse has influenced my love of cut and torn paper and Van Gogh has always been undeniably my go to person for color and texture inspiration. The Purple Sunflower Studio, which overlooks Mt. Monadnock in Jaffrey, N.H.

Inspiration comes from anywhere, anytime. I do not confine myself to one subject area and prefer to vary my projects and media; hence, I label myself a multi-media artist. Whether working three-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, the media I used is determined by the idea I am trying to express. My absolute passion for color My absolute passion for color and texture comes from my reverence for the work of Henri Matisse and Vincent Van Gogh. Matisse has influenced my love of cut and torn paper and Van Gogh has always been undeniably my go to person for color and texture inspiration.

When creating, my ultimate goal is to make a spiritual connection and then in turn, fearlessly share that connection with the viewer.

For years my creativity lay virtually dormant, but like any great passion, there came a time when the creative pulse became too strong to deny. It became harder not to create than to create. That intense inward movement had to be released. Thus began my journey of self-discovery.

All of my art is quintessentially a self-portrait. It is about my personal truth. It is about my reality, conscious or subconscious. It is about how I feel and how I experience and perceive the world I live in.

I believe my creativity is a spiritual matter. The real creator is that power greater than me which flows through my soul and escapes all human limits. The joy lies in entertaining my creativity. The joy is indeed in the journey. It is the creative process, not the end product that fills my being.