Today we’d like to introduce you to Norah Levine.
Norah, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’ve always loved to make things. Photography came into my life during an 8th grade summer camp. My camera became my tool of choice for making images and the perfect excuse to flirt with the boy I had a crush on for my “portrait” assignment. Since then, I studied photography and made a career out of making images. I have taught photography online and in person, written a book on creating authentic pet portraits, and continue to pursue my love of making portraits and connecting with others through the medium. My focus has been on portraits of people and animals.
In the 15 years I have been a professional, the industry has changed quite dramatically. What once started out for me as very hands on has shifted into the wonderful but very different world of digital. I find myself spending a lot of “QT” with my computer and over the last few years felt a longing to work with my hands in a way I hadn’t in a long time.
I’d always loved painting and it was something I decided I wanted to give some more attention. I discovered a class on encaustic painting (bees wax + resin + pigments that are fused layer by layer with a heat gun or torch) and learned that part of the class would be discussing the combination of photography with encaustic painting. I had a feeling this would be the perfect solution to the hands-on experience I was craving. I was right. That was about four years ago and I have been pursuing this art form and learning ever since from fine artists whose work I admire, and through much trial and error. My work started small and then recently expanded into larger scale.
I am currently choosing to combine my love of photography with my love of painting into these multimedia pieces. I cherish the experience of creating intuitively and bringing back some of the magical feelings I used to experience in the darkroom years ago. I am thrilled to have been able to sell many pieces and to have my work currently selling at Convergence Gallery, an art gallery located on Canyon Road in Santa Fe, NM.
I have realized that making things with my hands is a necessity and that being an artist can take on different formats, but it all comes back to listening to where I am finding and experiencing the magic. I am excited to see where I am taken next.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Much of my art involves animals. I love honoring their beauty and I feel like my art serves that purpose. I am inspired by animals and by nature. I try to bring in my experience and perspective as a photographer into my work, while leaving room for color, texture, depth in the abstract elements of the background to support the imagery.
The backgrounds are inspired by the imagery in each piece. Part of the beauty of working with the encaustic medium is the luminosity that is achieved through the layers of paint. I try to highlight that quality in each of my paintings. I love the smooth texture that is created through many layers of painting, torching, and scraping away and the “history” that is often revealed of markings and scrapes through those layers. It’s not often you get to see the history of an artist’s movements, marketing’s and choices in their work.
I want to make work that is beautiful to look at and that you almost want to eat. I want my work to bring some joy and inspire an appreciation of that beauty. Maybe it brings up a memory or nostalgic feeling…that’s pretty great if that happens. I don’t think art always has to be serious or deeply rooted in meaning to be valuable to another person.
Ultimately, I make my art because it makes my heart sing.
What do you think it takes to be successful as an artist?
This is the million-dollar question for me! I always strive for more, but really success for me is a commitment to making my art and getting it out into the world in some way. I love having my work sell because it’s encouraging to know that someone else values it enough to pay for it. I don’t know that it should determine success, but it sure feels good!
I think it’s successful to make art that feels authentic to you as the artist and not what you think other people will want. Staying committed to your vision can be challenging, but it’s so important. My line for success constantly seems to change. I always seem to want to do more, be more, experience more. This is one of my biggest assets and also one of my biggest challenges.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My work is currently showing at Convergence Gallery in Santa Fe, NM. I also work on commissions and can create work for any space based on the needs of the client. My website shows some of my work www.norahlevinephotography.com
Contact Info:
- Address: Austin, TX
- Website: www.norahlevinephotography.com
- Phone: 512-524-7928
- Email: info@norahlevinephotography.
com - Instagram: @norahlevine
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/norah.levine.photography
Image Credit:
studio shots of process by Amy Smith
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