But Who Do You Say That I Am?

By Jen Norton

Artist Statement

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Jenny (written with a backwards “J”) who was terrified of everything in the world except maybe her mother. She was debilitatingly shy, silenced by fear, obsessed with order and perfectionism. The world was a big, terrifying place full of people who were constantly prodding her to talk, smile, play and just be like the other kids. As she grew up, she got better at playing that game so others would find no reason to criticize her. For a long time, she even believed her own story. But perfectionism is a lie. To be too fearful to act is to deny God’s plan for your life. While I appeared silent to others, God was gently teaching me the emotional language of art. I am Jen. Sometimes Jennifer. No longer Jenny, although I am grateful for her strength and fortitude and history. I am an introvert, but no longer shy. I am passionate about color and pattern and stories with meaning. I am learning to trust in Jesus through making art; He is showing me who I am. I am an artist and a beloved creation of the Ultimate Artist.

Artist Bio

Painfully shy as a child, art was Jen's primary expression and she has always relied on visual language to best communicate for her. There was never a day she "decided" to become an artist. For Jen, there was just no other way to be. Jen Norton is a graduate of Santa Clara University where she earned a Bachelors degree in Fine Art, with a Minor in Business. Jen worked as a Graphic Designer for a decade developing marketing communications materials before leaving to return to painting and raise her daughter. Everyday moments of faith and home are her subject matter, revealing the Jesuit principles of finding God in the ordinary instilled in her education. Jen works in acrylic, using expressive color and texture to reveal the sublime in the ordinary. Each painting begins with layers of intense hues and expressive brushwork, which gradually change as the painting progresses. These underlying layers are important to the depth of the final work, just as years of spiritual growth are to a well-rounded soul. Jen believes that through art, one can hear the whisper of a mighty Creator. Her intention is that her art may cause you to pause and listen.