Baltimore’s Kate Norris rips and collages wallpaper to construct intricate images ranging from animals to anatomical portraits.
Artist: Norris was born in Bend, OR, and grew up Redding, CA. She graduated with a BFA from Stanford University and earned an MFA in painting from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
Studio: Kate Norris Art is based in Baltimore.
Art & materials: Collage artwork using wallpaper and acrylic on canvas.
Her recent body of collage work came out of years of oil painting and teaching. Norris started adding various papers into her artwork and stumbled upon a toile wallpaper.
“From there I started experimenting with the wallpaper, using it as a painter would,” she said.
What’s popular: Birds and skulls ($950 to $10,500).
Favorite tools: Her hands.
Inspirations: Vintage scientific and naturalists’ illustrations.
“My work is a transformative act of reclaiming discarded materials and breathing new life into the fragments,” said Norris. “But it also confronts the historical and social implications embedded within the wallpaper.”
Fun commissions: Created a mixed-media wallpaper collage skate deck for a fundraiser for a skateboard park at Rash Field Park in downtown Baltimore.
Recent awards:
- Beaux Arts: Festival of Art, Miami, FL. 1st place, mixed media. 2023.
- Bethesda Art Festival: Judges Choice award. 2023.
What’s next:
- Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show, Philadelphia, PA. Sept. 15-17.
- Three-week residency at Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, starting Nov. 17.
Where to buy: katenorrisart.com
Get social:
- Instagram: @katenorrisart
