Biography

A Self-taught artist, Norma is an award winning, active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and a member of the Visions Art Tours. She currently exhibits her art at Federation Gallery in Grandville Island, Vancouver, at Gallery 223 in Nanaimo, at Oak Leaf Gallery in Chemainus, and in many juried shows and local galleries as well as her own studio gallery. She is a commissioned artist who is well known for her portraits and her works sells internationally.

Norma's Background in the Arts

Norma's interest in drawing and painting began in her early Victoria, BC years when spending long summer hours at the family's cottage on an island in Shawnigan Lake. She began drawing and painting what she saw at the lake with anything she could find available. Life circumstances changed and Norma's love of art was put aside for many years.

She became an experienced para-legal, later an administrator of several societies, and finally, the Development Officer for the Nanaimo Festival Society in its inaugural year. This position was the bridge to the world of the "arts".

Norma's life then went in a totally different direction. She calls it her, "Training Years". She began a period of exploration. She spent over 15 years, doing extensive research and study in the fields of the World's religions, philosophies, various yogas, psychology, and natural health practices from a wide range of cultures. Norma spent 4 of those years training in Mind/Body medicine becoming a certified practitioner and Instructor. She had a successful practice over 17 yrs. specializing in the underlying emotional and mental causes of stress related illnesses. She taught classes at Malaspina College and Community Centres.

Community Service

At the same time, as a service to the community, she devoted many years co-pioneering and managing a professional marionette theatre company that became nationally known. The company was set up as a non-profit society to serve the community. Performances ranged from hospital beds and senior care wards to children s groups and large stage theatre productions. The latter work broadened her understanding of the therapeutic potential of the marionettes to educate, uplift and communicate on an individual or collective level to promote healing.

She is known as a Master puppeteer, skilled as a performer, director and producer. As the Company's artist, Norma further developed her artistic skills in acrylics, sculpting, set design and prop building.

As the performance side of the Marionette Theatre came to an end, her "Training Years" were over. She started developing and using the "art of marionettry" with the "art of healing" in therapeutic art, drama & puppetry programs. She has worked with children and adults including the terminally ill.

Norma worked with over 40 teens when contracted to develop and implement a youth suicide intervention program she has named, "Staying Alive", which was later defined by Health Canada Official as one of the "best practices" in North America. An article on her "Staying Alive" program appeared in "Puppeteers of America" magazine.

Over the years, Norma has appeared several times on BCTV, has appeared nationally on CBC's Wayne Rostad's, "On the Road Again", and has been interviewed by CBC's Sheryl MacKay on North by Northwest.

She is currently working in her studio creating original fine art pieces.

Exhibitions:

2009 "Sandbar Cafe", Qualicum Bay
2009 "Sidney Fine Art Show", Sidney, Victoria (juried)
2009 "The Artisan Studio", Nanaimo
2009 "The Nature of Island Artists Show", Goldstream, Victoria (juried)
2009 "Fall Show", Federation of Canadian Artists, Nanaimo (juried)
2009 "Art Walk", Cowichan Bay
2009 "Artist in Residence", The Loft Gallery, Mill Bay (Appointed)
2009 "Human Figure", Federation Gallery, Granville Island, Vancouver (juried)
2009 "New Works", Oak Leaf Gallery, Chemainus (solo)
2009 "New Works", Gallery 223, Nanaimo
2009 "New Works", Dancing Bean, Chemainus (solo)
2009 "Still Life", Federation Gallery, Granville Island, Vancouver (juried)
2009 "General Works", Station Street Gallery, Duncan 2007

2008 "The Cowichan Peoples", Aboriginal Film Festival, Cowichan Community Centre Gallery
2008 "New Works", Gallery 223, Nanaimo
2008 "Fall Show", Federation of Canadian Artists, Nanaimo (juried)
2008 "Spring Show", Federation of Canadian Artists, Nanaimo (juried)
2008 "New Works", Gallery 223 Studio Galleries, Nanaimo
2008 "General Works", Station Street Gallery, Duncan 2007, (solo)
2008 "General Works", Station Street Gallery, Duncan 2007,
2008 "Artist in Residence", Jasmines Fine Dining and Gallery, Cowichan Valley (Appointed)
2008 "Tour Venue", Visions Art Studio Summer Tour and Sale, Cowichan Valley
2008 "New Works", Loft Gallery, Mill Bay, Visions Tour
2008 "New Works", Imagine That, Duncan, Visions Tour
2008 "New Works, Volume One Books, Duncan, Visions Tour
2008 "Tour Venue", Visions Winter Art Sale", Cowichan Valley

2007 "New Works", Port Theatre Nanaimo (solo)
2007 "Tour Venue", Visions Art Studio Summer Tour and Sale, Cowichan Valley
2007 "Tour Venue", Visions Christmas Studio Tour and Sale 2007 & 2008
2007 "New Works", Loft Gallery, Mill Bay, Visions Tour
2007 "New Works", Imagine That, Duncan, Visions Tour
2007 "New Works, Volume One Books, Duncan, Visions Tour
2007 "New Works", Quamichan Inn, Duncan (Solo)
2007 "Wine & Culinary Festival", Chamber of Commerce Gala Evening (solo)
2007 "New Works", Godfrey Brownell Winery: Wine and Art Celebration
2007 "Artist in Residence", Jasmines Fine Dining and Gallery, Cowichan Duncan
2007 "New Works", The Finer Things Gallery, Shawnigan Lake

2006 "Verse and Vision", Cowichan Valley Community Centre Gallery, Duncan
2006 "Cherry Pt. Art Show", Duncan

Awards:

2009 "2nd in Show", FCA Fall Show, Nanaimo, "Shawman", Acrylic
2008 "Award of Excellence", FCA Spring Art Show, Nanaimo "Guardian of the Cormorant Caves"
2008 "Honourable Mention", FCA Fall Show, Nanaimo, "Emerging", mixed media

Publications and News Releases:

2009 "Featured Artist", Island Arts Magazine", Summer 2009 Vol. II, Issue I
2009 "Nationally acclaimed artist showing at Dancing Bean", This Week, Cowichan Valley Citizen, June 10, 2009 issue
2009 "Featured as Master Puppeteer", Senior Living Magazine, March 2009 issue

2008 "Artist finds strength in learning", The View from Here, Nanaimo Daily News, Sept 25, 2008 issue
2008 "Portrait Unveiled at Screening", Cowichan News Leader Pictorial, October 1, 2008
2008 "Aboriginal Film Festival Spot Light", News Leader, April 23, 2008

2007 "The Eyes Have It", Arts and Entertainment, News Leader, December 5, 2007
2007 "Art Was Sumptuous Too", Arts *& Entertainment Calendar, Cowichan Valley Citizen, Oct. 10, 2007
2007 "Getting a Head", News, The Pictorial, July 8, 2007
2007 "Vision Superlative", Cowichan Valley Citizen, July 11, 2007

2006 "Art Exhibit by Norma Jackson", Get Into the Music, Vancouver Island Symphony, October 21, 2006
2006 "Cowichan Valley Artist exploring Painting in 3-D", Arts & Entertainment, News Leader, November 1, 2006