Norman Darvie

I have been painting since childhood and am self taught, working in oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor, pen and ink and graphite.  Art was a weekend hobby and I gave away paintings as gifts to family and friends. Crafting model airplanes and boats was also a favorite pastime.

As retirement approached I decided to pursue an active artist’s life. I started sculpting as I was attending courses at the Art Students League in New York City where I am a lifetime member and an elected member of The American Artists Professional League. 

I concentrated on learning the structure of the human anatomy; courses in ecorche (flaying of the skin from the bones and inner deep muscles to the outer muscles), anatomy drawing and stone carving were my focus and sculpting the human figure in motion was my primary goal. I carve in stone and model in clay and wax, and several of my pieces have been bronzed.

Awards

Placing second in a contest sponsored by the Buckingham Hotel in New York City for my painting of “The Ballet of the Stars” and my Exceptional Merit award from The Degas Pastel Society for my pastel painting of “Ochre Houses in Roussillon” are two of my rewarding moments as an artist. The pastel painting was chosen for the cover of American Artists Magazine’s 1996 “Pastel Highlights” issue. The mixed media painting “Ballet of the Stars” was displayed in the hotel lobby for one year and is now part of the hotel’s private collection.

The Bronze sculpture “Symmetry in Motion” was chosen for the Helen C. Oehler award by The American Artist Professional League in their 2009 National Exhibit held at the Salmagundi Club in New York.