We recently connected with Char Norman and have shared our conversation below.

Char, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

As an environmental artist and an educator, I feel it is important to alert the public to issues of environmental justice. In my travels, I have identified areas of concern and created art specific to an area. This has ranged from the Pacific Northwest, Arizona, and the Amazon RainForest. The work that came out of my trip to Ecuador and the rainforest has a deep abiding interest in the protection of indigenous knowledge as it relates to our symbiotic relationship with the natural world. This body of work then led to work in Southern Ohio and the energy industry.

Char, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up hiking and exploring nature. This combined with my innate curiosity and desire to put things together in a meaningful way led to my career as an artist. My work combines aspects of nature combined with woven forms in sculptures addressing environmental concerns.

Artist Statement

The idea of Nature as an object of veneration and worship is as old as man. My work speaks of the inter-connectedness of all things with none dominant over the other. As our society and world are facing an environmental crisis which may even lead to our demise it is more important than ever to understand this symbiotic relationship. I present nature in sacred spaces and attitudes to bring understanding and importance to the issues at hand. The iconic pod shape found in much of my work, derives from seedpods and is a metaphor for how we might relate to our natural environment. They are both wombs and shrouds denoting abuse, nurture, mourning, or reverence of nature. My materials and techniques are a direct result of my training in fiber arts, specifically weaving, coiling, and papermaking and have an affinity to the natural objects I incorporate in the work. I have been working with these concepts and techniques for the past decade, with the work slowly evolving over time. Observations are as widespread as forest fungi to Greek myths of nature provide impetus for my pieces. I am now moving in the direction of larger pieces incorporating numerous elements as installations, allowing the viewer to move through the pieces to experience from all angles. In addition, some work will be installed in natural areas such as woodlands and parks, to further encourage the viewer to interact with the physical world.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The mind is always engaged. Curiosity and the quest for knowledge are always at the forefront. Each project brings interesting and new insights. Working with my hands gives me a deep connection with the past and a closeness to nature.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivoting quickly and efficiently is a big part of being an artist. things don’t always work the way you plan and problem solving comes into play in a big way. One specific example from my recent work is an installation commissioned by the city addressing climate change. The location kept changing which impacted the size and design of the piece. I needed to begin working without a real plan as time was short. As it got closer and closer to the deadline without size and location specifics, I needed to come up with a way of making the piece modular so that it could be adapted to any space. I’m happy to report that it worked out just great.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.charnorman.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charstegernorman/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/char.norman/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/char-norman-3a73549/