John Norwood Artist, Sculptor, and Model Maker who has been creating art out of recycled materials for over 50 years.
Rainforest Art FoundationCordially invites you to attend the exhibition of “Sculptures with Natural and Recycled Materials”.
April 12 – May 31, 2012
Date: Thursday, April 12, 2012
Time: 6-8 pm
Place: 36-58 37th Street, Long Island City, NY
Directions: Subway R/M to 36th St. station, Queens, then walk 1 block. (Food & Wine)
I have been asked to exhibit in an upcoming Recycled Art Show at the Rainforest Art Foundation, 36-58 37th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101. I am very excited about this opportunity and am submitting the following images to the curator for consideration in the show. Not all, maybe not even any of these pieces will be selected, but either way, I am looking forward to the show and updating everyone on the details of the event, as well as the pieces that will be on display. Stay tuned!
These are Arc Paintings done in the likes of Abstract Expressionism, but on a grand scale. They each are done in a series of 1 meter by 1 meter panels and when combined, each Arc Painting measures 10 meters by 2 meters. I created these in the 1960s and 70s and have 6 of them in my College Point, NY studio.
If you want to see these Arc Paintings please contact me on this website or call me at 347 884-0388.
Below is the Video Transcript.
I am John Norwood. I am trying to be an artist. This is an Arc Painting. I call it Falling Balls. And it reminds me of the moon. I think it looks to me like a cold moonscape. It goes up and down in space with the segments of arcs in metric dimensions: a millimeter up to a kilometer. It’s concerned with arcs of metric circles. The left panel has a one meter diameter circle and then it goes down to 10 centimeters, 1 centimeter and 1 millimeter. Then it goes up to 10 meters, 100 meters, and 1,000 meters, the arcs going through this painting. These paintings were done 40 some years ago in New Jersey where I had an art studio. And the junk on it is stuff left from architectural models, stuff from doing the renovation on this building. It’s all very autobiographical, like a baby barricade, a carousel from a slide camera, and various other cut-off wood from doing the renovation.
If you want to see these Arc Paintings please contact me on this website or call me at 347 884-0388.
I hope you enjoy the video.. Thank You.
There’s a line from T.S. Eliot, “I’ve measured out my life in coffee spoons.”
The first thing I do in the morning at four o’clock is make myself a cup of coffee. That usually lasts me a half hour and then I go make another one. I’ve been saving coffee cups for 40 years. I have thousands of them. I have drunk every damn one except for 10 or 20 that other people have left. I have coffee cups made of foam and cardboard. They all used to be foam 30 – 40 years ago and then they had to change to cardboard. I keep collecting them, glueing them together and painting them.
If you want to see any of these Coffee Cup Sculptures you are very welcome to by contacting me online here or calling me at 347 884-0388.
I hope you enjoy the video. Thank You.
Angela Chen, a very talented and charming reporter for NY1, interviewed me and my wife Ruby about my ever expanding art collection. The interview aired across New York City on Tuesday November 1. I talked about the fire in 2009 that destroyed half my artwork, some of which went back 60 years, working with garbage to create recycled art, and why I keep doing this after so many years. I have rebuilt my life and body of artwork since the fire but still look back on that day with sorrow and for inspiration.
This spring (2012) I am planning an event to celebrate my 75th birthday and the art that I’ve created throughout most of that period. I’d love to hear from you if you’d like an invitation to this event. Keep checking this site for new art and updates on my 2012 art show.
Never quit creating art.
The NY1 interview can be viewed at College Point Artist John Norwood Rebuilds After Fire Destroys Work.
