Emile Norman (April 22, 1918 ‒ September 24, 2009), born Emil Nomann, was an American artist, widely known for his sculptures, mosaics, panels, and jewelry[1][2] He was the subject of the 2006 PBS documentary, Emile Norman: By His Own Design.
Emile Norman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Emil Nomann[citation needed] April 22, 1918 San Gabriel, California, U.S. |
| Died | September 24, 2009 (aged 91) Monterey, California, U.S. |
| Known for | Sculpture, mosaic, panel, jewelry |
| Notable work | Mosaic window/stone sculptures Nob Hill Masonic Center San Francisco, California, U.S. |
Background
editBorn in 1918 in San Gabriel, California,[2][3] Norman was raised on a San Gabriel Valley walnut farm, his artistic talent obvious from an early age. He carved his first sculpture from a riverside rock at the age of 11, both ruining his father's chisels and gaining his respect.[3][4]
After beginning his career in California and later moving to New York, he returned to California's Big Sur area in 1946, set up a studio in his home and gained a wider following.[5] He lived and worked at his Big Sur property, Pfeiffer Ridge, with partner Brooks Clement, until Clement's 1973 death from cancer.[5][2]
In the 1980s, the married actors Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry met Norman, purchased land from him in Big Sur, became his neighbors and close friends,[3] and eventually spent five years[6] producing a documentary on his life. It aired on PBS in 2006.[7]
Norman died September 24, 2009, in Monterey, California at age 91,[8] survived by three sisters, Marilyn Bogart, Mabel Malone and Edna Rhodes (Attorney Marc Del Piero is the trustee of the Emile Norman Charitable Trust).[3]
Career and work
edit"Nobody ever gives you permission to become an artist."
Norman began his professional career designing window displays for the Bullocks Wilshire department store in Los Angeles. He later moved to New York to design window displays for department stores including Bergdorf Goodman and Bonwit Teller — his work featured in Vogue and other periodicals. In 1946, he designed ornate headgear for performers in the 1946 Hollywood musical Blue Skies.[2]
On a trip to Europe, he discovered an affinity for working with plastics, especially epoxy resin, which would ultimately become a mainstay of his work.[10][8] His work was featured in a Manhattan gallery in 1944 and subsequently covered in The New York Times — noting Norman's innovative use of plastic as decorative rather than functional material.[11] The show received positive reviews and quickly sold out.[2]
In his work, Norman was known to use a technique combining admixtures of epoxy, crushed glass, plastic, and wood to create a cloisonne or stained glass effect. He also layered the material over wax forms, which were subsequently melted to leave a 3-dimensional sculpture.[10]
His body of work includes sculptures, mosaics, panels, and jewelry — notably the 40-by-46-foot mosaic window for the Nob Hill Masonic Center in San Francisco, depicting the founding of California Freemasonry. The Monterey Herald described the mural as an endomosaic, incorporating thousands of bits of metal, parchment, felt, linen, silk, natural foliage, thinly sliced vegetable matter, shells and sea life, plus 180 colors of stained glass."[12]
Documentary
editIn 2006, PBS aired the documentary, Emile Norman: By His Own Design, covering much of Norman's life. The documentary was produced by Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry, actors known for their roles on the NBC television series, L.A. Law. The couple were friends and neighbors of Norman having purchased land from him in Big Sur.[3][6]
The film incorporated footage shot by Norman's partner Brooks Clement on a hand-cranked 16mm Bolex.[13]
References
edit- ^ "Emile's Life". emilenorman.com.
- ^ a b c d e "TV review: Life of Big Sur artist Emile Norman". The San Francisco Chronicle. June 20, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e Nelson, Valerie J. (September 27, 2009). "Emile Norman dies at 91; artist created mosaic window for Masonic temple in San Francisco". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Hamlin, Jesse (November 8, 2005). "It's lively and colorful, but a mural depicting history is showing its age". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 1, 2009.
- ^ a b "Emile Norman: By His Own Design". PBS.org.
- ^ a b "TV documentary of Big Sur artist Emile Norman reveals a unique vision". Monterey County Weekly, Tracey Hurkill, 12 Oct 2006.
- ^ "The PBS Documentary". The Emile Norman Gallery, Carmel, CA.
- ^ a b "Pioneering California artist Emile Norman dies". SFGate, September 26, 2009, Kenneth Baker. 26 September 2009.
- ^ "Indie film traces the life of an artist". The Mail Tribune of Southern Oregon, April 11, 2007, Bill Varble.
- ^ a b "All the pieces of Emile Norman's life as artist and gay man, together on film". The San Francisco Chronicle. October 14, 2006.
- ^ Mary Roche (November 22, 1944). "Plastics Shown in Decorative Role". The New York Times.
- ^ "Life of wonder: Artist Emile Norman's work has brought him around the world and back to 'magical' Big Sur". The Montgomery County Herald. September 25, 2009.
- ^ "All the pieces of Emile Norman's life as artist and gay man, together on film". The San Francisco Chronicle, SFgate.com, October 14, 2006, Pam Grady. 14 October 2006.