J. David Norton

Artist Statement

My intention in glass is to create imagery that is more about emotion than reality. I want the viewer to feel as if they could cross a threshold into another place and linger there awhile, escaping the moment.

Bio

After many years as a hair designer and salon owner, David Norton yearned for a different creative outlet. He was introduced to stained glass art at Anthony Stained Glass Studio in Akron, OH. He spent several years learning the craft and focusing on architectural installations.

Without any formal art background, David sought to improve his stained glass design skills and studied drawing with Linda Faulker in Canton, OH. This opened up a new world for him, and he was driven by the idea of creating painterly images entirely of glass. He loved the illumination of colored stained glass, but felt constrained by the lead lines.

David then entered the realm of glass fusing, where he could use frit (crushed glass) to achieve the effects he wanted. Through many trials, he improved his glass imagery and eventually created 3-dimensional landscapes. He loves to create scenery that feels as if you could step over a threshold, and enter it.

Seeking more ability, David traveled to Italy and trained with Miriam Di Fiore who pioneered the use of frit in fused glass landscapes. His work combines techniques he acquired, with ones he discovered. His fused glass landscapes are composed of multi-layered clear sheet glass, and colored crushed glass called frit. He uses a torch to form strings of glass to include in the composition. The artwork undergoes multiple kiln firings, with repeated applications of sheet glass, frit, and stringers. This creates his 3-dimensional effect.