Bill Norton isn’t concerned that he constantly sees spots. Though he didn’t discover Pointillism until he moved to Sun City in 2017, he can’t remember a time when he wasn’t creating. This painting technique—small dots of paint applied in patterns to form an image—was introduced in the late 1800s by George Seurat and Paul Signac. The term was coined by critics in the late 1800s to make fun of the art form, but with each new dot of his paint brush, our Georgetown artist strives to reinvent each creation with discipline and passion.
A small-town boy from Minnesota, Bill started out teaching middle school art. He later became a principal but continued his creative endeavors and found experimenting with dots captivating; the more he layered, the more texture and movement he could produce.
DRIVEN TO CREATE
Every day like clockwork, Bill rises at 4am, sets up his card table and folding chair and gets to work painting. It can take up to 30 hours to complete one frame, but sitting quietly for hours, methodically working in a repetitive motion, creates a Zen-like atmosphere, which the soft-spoken artist savors. Regardless of his schedule, he fits in seven hours of painting a day.
He scours estate sales and secondhand stores for unique frames and delights in re-purposing them. With one dip of his fine brush into acrylic paint, he can paint five to six dots. “After four to six layers,” he says, “The surface begins to raise and a dimensional look is created.” His finished frames either become mirrors, with the addition of glass, or an art piece, framing another of his works. ” To me, creativity means always searching for what’s next. My inspiration comes from nature and sometimes from the music I am listening to,” he says. “I love the design process and finding out what is effective. Being creative means always searching for what’s next.”
A member of Sun City’s Visual Arts Club, the Sun City Singers, a monitor at the fitness centers and a swim instructor, painting is a nice counterbalance to his energetic lifestyle. Bill adds, “I enjoy the convivial atmosphere of Sun City and take pleasure in impressing house guests with visits to our picturesque square.”
He’s always been a driven person and believes he has only begun to scratch the surface in this medium, so is always excited to see where he can take it. “I have only been painting the last four years, so I am constantly challenging myself to learn something new, like how layering the dots can create new colors and patterns. I am also fascinated by how the linear aspect can create such movement. I simply love color and having fun with it.”
He feels so fortunate to have a creative endeavor that brings him such pleasure and allows him the opportunity to share it. To see clients’ reactions and for them to want to have his art grace their home brings him such pleasure. He laughed and explains, “It’s a bit like the joy you’d get by giving someone a puppy!”
Bill’s mirrors are available at Artisan’s Connect Gallery, 800 S. Austin Avenue, Georgetown, or contact him directly [email protected].