Statement and Exhibition Record




ARTIST STATEMENT

I have always rejected the notion that figurative art is dead or irrelevant.  One of the best ways to depict any abstract concept, idea, or emotion is to give it human characteristics or traits.  And to be honest, I simply enjoy portraying people in my art.  Human beings have enough intricacies and unique differences to provide inspiration for several hundred artists’ lifetimes.

Most of my art is left open to interpretation by the viewer since I rarely provide specific meanings behind what I do.  I would much rather create the images and then allow the viewer decide what my work means to them personally.  We all have our own personal histories and experiences anyhow, so it’s very easy to see how a good artwork could be deciphered in multiple ways.  With that said, there are times where I’m drawn to make a particular image without actually understanding it, only to discover my own personal relevance to the painting several months or years later. 

When it really comes down to it, my art is a dialog between me and anyone who happens to look at it.  I start the stories, and through their interpretations of my art, the viewers complete the stories. 

To paraphrase one of my biggest influences, Rene Magritte: “Life obliges me to do something, so I make art.”

 


Raised on Promises

July 6 - August 3, 2018

Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO 

When people my age were kids, we were promised all the wondrous treasures that the future held…how great life will be in 10, 20, 45 years.  Flying cars.  Living to be 200 years old.  A virtual utopia for all of mankind.  And while human ingenuity certainly has given us countless great advancements, we can’t ignore our fair share of tragedies, misery, and disappointments as well.

 

“Last year was a son of a bitch for nearly everyone we know…”
– Jason Isbell

The past couple years have definitely had their moments.  We’ve endured the first stages of the Trump regime.  We lost Tom Petty.  And people have seemed to be increasingly divisive and downright mean to each other.  It takes a conscious choice to stay above the fray, but at what cost?  And does this choice equate to being ill-informed?  And is that even worth it?

 

“Everybody’s hurt, and mine ain’t the worst,
But it’s mine and I’m feeling it now.”
 
- Brian Fallon

As I began this series, I noticed a common theme related to a sense of dread or feelings of melancholy in the paintings.  Quite frankly, I realized that the stories presenting themselves to me seemed to be on the moody side.  Dark, ominous skies.  Somber tones.  My ever-present blackbirds signaling a sense of doom and dread.

This wasn’t a conscious choice; I simply painted what came to mind or what I felt needed to be said.  Several of these images related to not-so-great things I saw every day in any number of places.  So it surprised me just a bit when a couple happy themes eventually appeared. 

 

“Well she was an American Girl, raised on promises,
She couldn’t help thinking that there was a little more to life somewhere else.”
 
- Tom Petty

We can’t let ourselves only focus on the bad.  The downers.  The bummers.  I can’t quite see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s got to be getting closer.  Surely it’s just around the next turn ahead.  Despite all of the turmoil and strife, I can’t think of a historical period that I’d rather live in.  I know we’ll get through this.



Cautionary Tales
November 4 - December 30, 2016
Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

Once I began working on this series, it occurred to me very quickly that a completely new President would be elected during the time this collection of works would be hanging.  While I’m not necessarily a huge fan of politics, I’m quite interested in what might be termed “campaign science,” so the idea of creating paintings that might reflect our current events was intriguing to me.

I chose to avoid blatant commentary on specific events or issues, a decision that was reinforced on an almost daily basis as the campaigns have descended into an increasingly heated and divisive place.  So rather than creating images with recognizable political players or situations, I chose to focus more on general themes and ideas illustrated through anonymous characters.  

With all that said, this work is only slightly political.

This series became known to me as “Cautionary Tales” long after the ideas for most of these paintings came about.  The imagery seemed to reflect warnings of potential dangers, dread, or an unsettling loss of control.  The stories I tell are both personal and things I’ve witnessed, using imagery that “doesn’t seem quite right” or is slightly tongue in cheek.  There is rarely one single interpretation for my paintings; while it’s true that I normally create each image with a specific message in mind, I hope my viewers will interpret the works based on their own points of view.

PRESS
HERE  is a nice review of the "Cautionary Tales" exhibit.


PARTIAL EXHIBITION RECORD


SOLO

2021 - A Retrospective...So Far, So Good
            Eight One Five Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2019 - A Retrospective...So Far
            Dorris Rider Gallery, Trenton, MO

2018 - Raised on Promises
            Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2016 - Cautionary Tales
            Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2011 - the self-portrait project
            NOMO Art Center, Marceline, MO

2009 - paintings by jim norris
            Gallery of Art, Southeastern Community College, Burlington, IA

2008 - paintings by jim norris
            Charno Gallery – Kansas City Artists Coalition, Kansas City, MO

2006 - reflections, observations & untruths
            NOMO Arts Center, Marceline, MO


GROUP

2021 - 14th Annual Contemporary Figurative Show
            Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2016 - Cautionary Tales
            Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2021 - An Exhibition of Things Called Art
            Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2019 - A Kansas City Collective
            Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2019 - Abundance
           Vanessa Lacy Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2019 - The Human Form Show
            Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2018 - Catrinas y la Calacas: A Tribute to Dia de los Muertos
            Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2018 - The Human Form Show
            Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2017 - A 15 Year Celebration
            Dorris Rider Gallery, Trenton, MO

2017 - All Media Exhibit
            The Cultural Corner, Chillicothe, MO

2015 - The Human Form Show
            Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

2011 - New Art by the Trenton Artists Guild
            Grundy County Museum, Trenton, MO

2007 - The Art of Sacrifice
            Altered Esthetics Gallery, Minneapolis, MN

2007 - River Market Regional Exhibition
            Kansas City Artists Coalition, Kansas City, MO

2006 - Raise Your Voice!
            University of Central Missouri Art Center Gallery, Warrensburg, MO

2006 - Re:Members Exhibit
            Kansas City Artists Coalition, Kansas City, MO


GALLERY REPRESENTATION
Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO

 

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