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Joan Norris

My passion is the land, finding inspiration literally everywhere.

Gallery

Joan Norris
Joan Norris
Joan Norris
Joan Norris
Joan Norris
Joan Norris
Joan Norris
Joan Norris
Joan Norris
Joan Norris
Joan Norris
Joan Norris

Affiliations
Taos Plein Air Painters
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico

Representation
Magpie Gallery, Taos:  781-248-0166

About the Art

It was during my travels to home births through the diverse landscapes of northern New Mexico at any hour of the day or night that my heart was opened to the splendor that we live in.  Although I had never painted before, I started to experiment with watercolor and eventually took a plein-air class through the university. Creating art was a way to bring a sense of calmness into my everyday life. When I retired, I turned to painting with great joy! 

My passion is the land, finding inspiration literally everywhere.

I paint in soft pastel and water-mixable oils. Because working with pastels is so direct (your hand holding the pastel is touching the paper), it has always felt more intuitive to me. I experiment with different surfaces and underpaintings for the pastels. Although oil painting is more challenging,  I love it for just that reason. I work plein air as well as in my home studio.

Bio

I live in the beautiful rural village of San Cristobal, at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, with my husband Barry.

As a child, our family moved frequently because my father was in the Army; we enjoyed the travel and lived all over the world.

In 1977, when Barry and I were in our mid-20s, we moved to Chiapas, Mexico to work in a small private museum in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Na Bolom. We eventually adopted two sons and loved our work so much that we stayed for 15 years. It will always be a place we return to, as our grandchildren are there, and many friends.

In 1992 we moved to San Cristobal, New Mexico. I trained and worked as a licensed midwife at the Northern New Mexico Birth Center, a career I had long wanted to pursue, and delivered hundreds of babies in Taos and surrounding counties before retirement in 2014. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to serve northern New Mexican families in this way.

Contact

joannorris3@gmail.com
Website

Other Local Artists

Judy Archuleta

Judy works to record God’s creation with her talents, and to bless those who view and display her art.
Artist Profile >

Mary F. Miller

Since childhood, she knew she wanted to be an artist. As of 2020, Mary has been a member of the Taos Artist Collective. Mary’s work is in collections all over the United States.
Artist Profile >

Nancy DeHerrera Crochet

Nancy is a proud norteña woman specializing in images of our beautiful Northern New Mexico!
Artist Profile >

Steve Racicot

Dream-inspired bronze sculptures
Artist Profile >

This project is supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs,
and by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Questa Creative Council
PO Box 1025
Questa, NM 87556

Join us or donate!

Download our Annual Letter
• 2023 •
Let’s Celebrate & Stabilize

QCC Newsletter Archive

Our Mission

Questa Creative Council seeks to strengthen and sustain community enrichment and economic opportunities through arts, culture, history, and education.

Our Vision

We will enhance opportunities to build cooperation among artists, artisans, cultural creatives and community members. We will help build a beneficial future while nurturing, sustaining or reviving traditional and contemporary creative pursuits.

•

This project is supported in part by an award from New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts, Art Works.