Timothy Norman
United States
The Story of a Texas Painter
(so far)
“Damn you Katy, why didn’t you tell me there was a fence there, you know I can’t see!” Katy was the trusted Quarter Horse of our tough as nails, by then nearly blind, 87 year -old, Czech-immigrant, WWI veteran, ranched-through-the-Depression Grandfather. * My childhood visits to his Smithville, Texas ranch made a deep impression on me in every way. So did the artwork and words of my Aunt Helen, a professional artist who studied at Immaculate Heart College during the heyday of Abstract Expressionism with Sister Carita, the artist of the famous "LOVE" postage stamp. As a young adult I spent two years painting live portraits every day in the atelier of Dmitri Vail, “Painter of the Stars.” During this time commissioned portraits started coming my way and they have never ceased to this day. A University of Dallas, Phi beta Kappa in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Painting followed. Then into my life entered my dear bride and 5 beautiful daughters quickly followed; this is when my real education began. Upon the heels of our wedding I won a Public Art Commission from the State of New Mexico depicting the history of the coal miners of Northeastern New Mexico. Over the ensuing 2 ½ decades I received many Portrait commissions and painted many European Genre Scenes. Galerie Kornye West, Kornye Gallery and Weatherburn Gallery exhibited and sold many paintings. I won many national awards, including seven from the Portrait Society of America; and multiples from The Art Renewal Center, The Artist’s Magazine and The Oil Painters of America. International Artist, Southwest Art and The Artist’s Magazine published my artwork. After 2010 I began to focus more on large private commission pieces. Now, returning to my Texas ranch heritage, I paint the authentic Texas working ranch cowboy; Cowboy Portraits and Cowboy Genre Scenes if you will. In sum, if you take all of the above, mix in the divine patience of my wife and family, the unfailing support and example of extraordinary parents, tens of thousands of studio hours and a bit of luck, you have this oeuvre of Portraiture, European Genre Scenes and Cowboys. Lastly, try as I might, I cannot escape the conviction that we indeed have a Creator who is Goodness, Truth and Beauty itself, and so I paint.
- My Grandfather, Vincent Barina, is the genesis of my admiration and respect for the extraordinary skill and unique character of the American working ranch cowboy.
* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 15th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.
