Sensual Imprint of Natural Materials |
Norman Epp is a sculptor based in Pueblo West, Colorado whose contemporary sculpture interprets Natural Conceptual Realism through spiritual nuances that sometimes engage mystery. Created from reclaimed materials; friendly to environment: these sculptures cajoled out of Earth’s natural forms, often evoking figurative motif, nurture a spiritual concept that “being human” is to actively be “one with nature”.
Muse asks, “What does an emotion look like through multi-dimension perspectives”. Mindfulness inquires into what visual forms encompass a specific idea. Formal nuances manipulating metaphor tug at sensualities of mind. Since childhood my bones have been pulled towards Earth-Being. Creation embraces my soul. Nature’s discarded fragments find my studio. Earth calls out to Humanity. Bones of Earth quiver for attention from their corners. Muse beckons from within the void. Spirit reaches towards fragmentational awareness. Earth-Bone-Pieces speak slowly. Ego wants to know. Passion rises, creative energy stirs. Shadows of ideas subtly move the air. Fragments, thoughts, tools, process, self – we have our time of struggle - These bones of creation conjure up expressive forms of Spirit sensibility. Earth’s feral spirit impregnates soulfulness - merging form to concept. Birthing of a sculpture emotionally tying human experience as natural. Sending a mysteriously energized sensual invitation, “earth to humanity”. Muse stirs on, those misty energies at the studio’s depths. |
1951 |
Birth, rural Marion, South Dakota |
1998 - |
Residence, Pueblo West, CO |
Education |
|
1995 |
MFA, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee |
1979 |
BA Art, Bethel College, N. Newton, KS |
Invitational Exhibitions |
|
2023 |
Walker Fine Art, Coalescing Connections, Denver, CO |
Exhibitions |
|
2021 |
Arvada Art Center, Wood.Works, Arvada, CO |
2019 |
Walker Fine Art, The Enchanted Garden, Denver, CO |
2018 |
Walker Fine Art, Vantage Points, Denver, CO |
2017 |
Walker Fine Art, Human / Nature, Denver, CO |
2016 |
Walker Fine Art, Altering Natural Perceptions, Denver, CO |
2014 |
Walker Fine Art, Shades in Time, Denver, CO |
| Foothills Art Center, Splinters, Golden, CO | |
| Lakewood Country Club, Lakewood, CO | |
| Lakewood Cultural Center, Reclamation, Lakewood, CO | |
2013 |
Walker Fine Art, Zenga, Denver, CO |
2012 |
Walker Fine Art, 2012 Year in Preview, Denver, CO |
2011 |
Walker Fine Art, Horizons: Shades from a Nether World, Denver, CO |
2010 |
Walker Fine Art, A Visual Language, Denver, CO |
2009 |
Walker Fine Art, Touching The Infinite, Denver, CO |
2008 |
Walker Fine Art, Natural Abstractions, Denver, CO |
2007 |
Walker Fine Art, Karin Schminke and Norman Epp, Denver, CO |
| Walker Fine Art, Anniversary Celebration, Denver, CO | |
2006 |
Walker Fine Art, VerGure, Denver, CO |
2005 |
Pankratz Gallery, Horizons: Heaven & Earth, Monument, CO |
| Walker Fine Art, JASLA Home Show, Denver, CO | |
2004 |
Sangre de Cristo Art Center, Re:Built, Curated - Jina Pearce, Pueblo, CO |
| Pankratz Gallery, Monument, CO | |
2003 |
Walker Fine Art, Alchemy, Denver, CO |
| Judish Fine Arts, Forms of Spirit, Denver, CO | |
2002-03 |
Sangro De Cristo Art Center, Art & Soul, Pueblo, CO |
2002 |
Judish Fine Arts, Denver, CO |
| UCD, Courtyard at Marriott, Honorarium Faculty Exhibition, Denver, CO | |
| LHPAC, Sculpture In The Park, Loveland, CO | |
2001 |
Foothills Art Center, Colorado Art Open Exhibition 2001, Golden, CO |
| LHPAC, Sculpture In The Park, Loveland, CO | |
| Dyck Arboretum, Outdoor, Hesston, KS | |
| Deleon White Gallery, Denver, CO | |
| Emmanual Gallery, Exposed, UCD Faculty Exhibition, Denver, CO | |
| Deleon White Gallery,New Space Opening, Denver, CO | |
2000 |
Foot Hills Art Center, North American Sculpture Exhibition, Golden, CO |
| LHPAC, Sculpture In the Park, Loveland, CO | |
| Pankratz Gallery, Into Thin Air, Monument, CO | |
| Hesston College, Spirit Vessels, Hesston, KS | |
| DeLeon White Gallery, Denver, CO | |
1999 |
Pankratz Gallery, A Celebration of Colorado Sculptors, Monument, CO |
| UCD, Courtyard at Marriott, Honorarium Faculty Exhibition, Denver, CO | |
| Vanguard Sculpture Services, Milwaukee, WI | |
1998 |
Vanguard Sculpture Services, Milwaukee, WI |
| Cherry Hill Gallery, Sister Bay, WI | |
1997 |
UW-Parkside, Faculty Exhibition, Kenosha, WI |
| William Fairfield Foundation, Sturgeon Bay, WI | |
| Green Gables Gallery, Sturgeon Bay, WI | |
| Cherry Hill Gallery, Sister Bay, WI | |
1996 |
William Fairfield Foundation, Sturgeon Bay, WI |
| Green Gables Gallery, Sturgeon Bay, WI | |
| Cherry Hill Gallery, Sister Bay, WI | |
1995 |
UWM, MFA Exhibition, Destinations to Departure, Milwaukee, WI |
1994 |
UW-Parkside, Sculpture Exhibition, Kenosha, WI |
| Union Gallery, George Goundie Memorial Exhibition, Milwaukee, WI | |
| Union Gallery, Artist’s Choice, Milwaukee, WI | |
| UW-Marinette, Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Marinette, WI | |
| UW-Wausau, Sculpture Exhibition, Wausau, WI | |
| Union Gallery, Narratives, Milwaukee, WI | |
| Union Gallery, Reading Art, (Artist Book Exhibition), Milwaukee, WI | |
1993-94 |
Albrecht-Kemper Museum, Reinterpreting the Land, Curated- Jan Nelson, St. Joseph, MO |
| Center for Great Plains Studies, Reinterpreting the Land, Curated-Jan Nelson, UN-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE | |
1993 |
Union Gallery, Delamination, Milwaukee, WI |
1992 |
Canton Art Institute, Amish & Mennonite Creativity, Canton, OH |
| Union Gallery, As We See It, Milwaukee, WI | |
| Rockford Art Museum, Vicinity Exhibition, Rockford, IL | |
| Union Gallery, Milwaukee, WI | |
| Union Gallery, Culmination, Milwaukee, WI | |
1991 |
Mulvane Art Center, Kansas Ten, KS Arts Commission, Topeka, KS |
| UWM System, State of Sculpture, Milwaukee, WI | |
1990 |
Salina Arts Center, 11th Annual Exhibition, Salina, KS |
| ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL | |
| Hesston State Bank, Hesston, KS | |
1989-90 |
Traveling Exhibition, Visions of Shalom, Curated-Lombard Peace Center |
| Mennonite World Conference, Winnipeg, Canada | |
| Peoples Place Gallery, Intercourse, PA | |
| Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, IN | |
| Lombard Peace Center, Lombard, IL | |
1989 |
San Bernardino County Museum, 24th Annual Exhibition, San Bernardino, CA |
1988 |
Contemporary Southwestern Art, Curated /SUNY- Potsdam, NY |
| Tyler Art Gallery, SUNY - Oswego, Oswego, NY | |
| Roland Gibson Gallery, SUNY- Potsdam, Potsdam, NY | |
| Michael C. Rockefeller Art Center, Fredonia College, NY | |
| Bethel College, N. Newton, KS | |
| Carriage Factory Gallery, Newton, KS | |
1985 |
Bethel College, N. Newton, KS |
1985 |
Gallery 20, 4th Annual Sculpture Exhibition, Farmington, NM |
1984 |
Fuller Lodge Art Center, Los Alamos, NM |
| Gallery 20, 3nd Annual Sculpture Exhibition, Farmington, NM | |
| Concepts Gallery, Santa Fe, NM | |
| Durango Art Association, Durango, CO | |
1983 |
Concepts Gallery, Santa Fe, NM |
| Gallery 20, 2nd Annual Sculpture Exhibition, Farmington, NM | |
| Durango Art Association, Durango, CO | |
1981 |
Durango Art Association, Durango, CO |
1980 |
Goshen College, Mennonite Artists Contemporary, Goshen, IN |
1979 |
Southwestern College, Winfield, KS |
| Fort Hays Arts Council, Hays, KS | |
| Smoky Hill Annual, Hays, KS | |
| Undergraduate Art Exhibit, Bethel College, N. Newton, KS | |
1978 |
Spiva '78, Joplin, MO |
Collections |
|
| Arvada Art Center, Arvada, CO | |
| Hotel Indigo, Denver, CO | |
| Steptoe & Johnson, Law Firm, Denver, CO | |
| TriZetto, Englewood, CO | |
| Mark West Financial, Denver, CO | |
| Marhavn Sculpture Park, Door County, WI | |
| Prairie Arboretum, Freeman, SD | |
| Dyck Arboretum, Hesston, KS | |
| Ron Gallegos & CO, Loveland, CO | |
| William Fairfield Foundation, Sturgeon Bay, WI | |
| H. J. Born Stone Co., Arkansas City, KS | |
| Bethel College, N. Newton, KS | |
| Over 90 additional sculptures in more than 70 private collections throughout North America | |
Professional Experience |
|
2022 |
Canada & Alaska: Many Museums and Indigenous Art Centers |
2018 |
Kenya: Museums, Visit artists |
2007 |
Uzbekistan: Tash Kent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva; studied ancient Muslim Architecture and Museums Ukraine: studied Byzantine Architecture and Art |
2003 |
Conducted Stone Carving Seminar, UCD, Denver, CO |
1993-03 |
Adjunct Instructor, Universities in Wisconsin, Colorado, New Mexico |
1991-95 |
Sculpture Project Assistant, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee |
1991 |
Sculpture Consultant, Kansas Arts Commission |
1988 |
Yucatan, Mexico: Studied eight Mayan archeological sites and museums |
1985-86 |
Australia, New Zealand: Studied Aboriginal rock art, Maori woodcarving, Oceanic art, and museums of Modern art |
1983 |
Co-founded “Concepts: A Contemporary Gallery”, Santa Fe, NM |
1980-85 |
American Southwest: Studied Native American historical sites and museums |
1977-79 |
Gallery Assistant, Bethel College, N. Newton, KS |
1977 |
Art History Tour, Italy: Bethel College guided Art History tour including museums and historical sites |
1974 |
Europe, Kenya, East Africa: Three-month tour of art museums and historical sites |
1971-73 |
Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa: National museum - Kinshasa, bush villages; In-depth cultural experience while volunteering as at Pimu Hospital in Congolese jungle |
1971 |
Belgium, Spain: Museums and architectural sites |
1970-71 |
Studio Assistant, Bethel College, N. Newton, KS |
Awards |
|
1994 |
1st Annual George Goundie Memorial Sculpture Scholarship, UW-Milwaukee |
1990 |
1st Annual Professional Development Grant, KS Arts Commission |
1990 |
Juror's Choice, Judith Stein, Salina Arts Center, Salina, KS |
1981 |
Patron’s Choice, Durango Art Association, Durango, CO |
Bibliography |
|
2021 |
Denver Post, 2.29.21, Life & Culture, Denver, CO |
2019 |
Westword, 7.31.19 Denver, CO |
2017 |
Denver Post, Business, Denver, CO Bethel College Thresher Review, 6.17, Newton, KS |
2015 |
Painted Sky: 106 Artists of the Rocky Mountain West, E. Ashley Rooney, Schiffer Publishing Ltd. |
2014 |
Colorado Homes And Lifestyles Magazine “Must Have’s”, Denver, CO |
2013 |
A BC ABC BOOK: Bethel College of Kansas in Art and Rhyme, Bethel College Women’s Association, Newton, KS |
| Context, Bethel College Alumni Magazine, “Encore”, 7.7, Newton KS | |
2012 |
Leave No Threshing Stone Unturned, Ediger |
| Bethel College of Kansas: 1887-2012, Keith Sprunger | |
2011 |
Westword, 9.21.2011, Denver, CO |
| Context, Bethel College Alumni Magazine, “Encore”, 7.11, Newton KS | |
2010 |
Context, Bethel College Alumni Magazine, “Encore”, 7.10, Newton, KS |
2009 |
Courier 4.22.09, Freeman SD |
| The Newton Kansan, 6.25.09, Newton, KS | |
| The Hillsboro Free Press, 6.1.09, Hillsboro, KS | |
| The Mennonite Weekly Review, 7.6.09 | |
2007 |
Westword, 9.6.07, Denver, CO |
2006 |
Colorado Homes, “Art Smart”, 5.06 |
2005 |
Freeman Courier, 11.23.05, Freeman, SD |
2004 |
The Pueblo Chieftain, 6.10.04, Pueblo, CO |
2003 |
Rocky Mountain News 10.17.03, Denver, CO |
| Westword, 9.11.03-9.17.03, Denver, CO | |
| Westword, 5.29.03-6.4.03, Denver, CO | |
| Rocky Mountain News, 5.23.03, Denver, CO | |
2002 |
The Pueblo Chieftain, 11.21.02, Pueblo, CO |
2001 |
GO GO Magazine: “Earth Magic”, 6.21.01–7.4.01, Denver, CO |
| The Newton Kansan, 5.25.01, Newton, KS | |
| Rocky Mountain News, Art Beat, 5.5.01, Denver, CO | |
2002 |
The Pueblo Chieftain, 11.21.02, Pueblo, CO |
2001 |
GO GO Magazine: “Earth Magic”, 6.21.01–7.4.01, Denver, CO |
| The Newton Kansan 5.25.01, Newton, KS | |
| Rocky Mountain News, Art Beat, 5.5.01, Denver, CO | |
2000 |
Tri Lakes Tribune, 5.25.00, Monument, CO |
| Independent, 5.18.00-5.24.00, Colorado Springs, CO | |
| The Gazette, 5.19.00, Colorado Springs, CO | |
| The Hutchinson News, 1.14.00, Hutchinson, KS | |
| The Newton Kansan, 1.7.00, Newton, KS | |
1999 |
Tri-Lakes Tribune, 5.27.99, Monument, CO |
| The Gazette, 5.21.99, Palmer Lake, CO | |
1996 |
Door County Advocate, 9.6.96, Sturgeon Bay, WI |
1993 |
The Milwaukee Journal, 8.22.93, Milwaukee, WI |
1991 |
The Newton Kansan, 2.18.91, Newton, KS |
1990 |
American Artists: An Illustrated Survey of Leading Contemporaries, Leo Krantz, 2nd Edition |
| The Newton Kansan, 12.12.90, 4.21.90, 3.28.90, 3.2.90, Newton, KS | |
| The Hesston Record, 12.13.90, Hesston, KS | |
| The Wichita Eagle, 3.15.90, Wichita, KS | |
| The Hutchinson News, 3.4.90, Hutchinson, KS | |
1989 |
Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online, Robert Kreider, editor |
1988 |
The Best of Kansas Arts and Craft, KS Chamber of Commerce |
| The Wichita Eagle, 11.17.88, Wichita, KS | |
| The Newton Kansan, 11.17.88, 8.12.88, 6.27.88, Newton, KS | |
1987 |
The Newton Kansan, Feature Story, 5.23.87, Newton, KS |
| The Bethel College Collegian, 3.17.87, N. Newton, KS | |
| The Mennonite Weekly Review, 3.5.87 | |
| The Newton Kansan, 2.28.87, Newton, KS | |
1983 |
The Santa Fe Reporter, 6.15.83, Santa Fe, NM |
| The Farmington Daily News, 6.19.83, Farmington, NM | |
1979 |
The Newton Kansan, 4.8.79, Newton, KS |
Catalogues |
|
| Art And Soul, 2002, Pueblo Street Gallery, Pueblo, CO | |
| Sculpture In The Park 2002, 2002, High Plains Arts Council, Loveland, CO | |
| Sculpture In The Park 2001, 2001, High Plains Arts Council, Loveland, CO | |
| Sculpture In The Park 2000, 2000, High Plains Arts Council, Loveland, CO | |
| North American Sculpture Exhibition, 2000, Foot Hills Art Center, Golden, CO | |
| (Catalogues continued) | |
| Wood and Stone, 1995, Riverwest Art Center, Milwaukee, WI | |
| Reinterpreting the Land, 1993, Center for Great Plains Studies, University of NE, Lincoln, NE | |
| Amish & Mennonite Expression in Visual Art: Traditions and Transitions, 1992, Canton Art Institute, Canton, OH | |
| “Kansas 10”, 1991, Mulvane Art Museum, Washburn University, Topeka, KS | |
| 11th Annual Exhibition, 1990, Salina Art Center, Salina, KS | |
| Smoky Hill, 1989,The Hays Arts Council, Hays, KS | |
| Contemporary Southwest Art, 1988, Roland Gibson Gallery, SUNY, Potsdam, NY | |
| Bethel College Centennial Art Exhibit, 1987, Bethel College, N. Newton, KS | |
| Mennonite Artists Contemporary, 1980, Goshen College, Goshen, IN | |
| Smoky Hill, 1980, The Hays Arts Council, Hays, KS | |
