Norma Morgan facts for kids

Norma Morgan (1928–2017) was an American artist. She was famous for her printmaking and painting. Her amazing artworks are displayed in important collections all over the world. She was especially known for her etchings and engravings. Many of these were inspired by her time in Great Britain.

Early Life and Art School

Norma Gloria Morgan was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1929. She was an African-American artist. Her mother raised her after her father passed away when she was young. Her mother worked hard as a seamstress and designer.

Norma loved art from a very young age. When she was just thirteen, she painted a mural on a classroom wall. At seventeen, her painting called Reflections earned her special recognition.

After high school, Norma continued to study art. She attended the Whitney School of Art in New Haven. She also spent two years at the Art Students League of New York. Later, she learned from famous artists like Hans Hofmann and Stanley Hayter. It was Stanley Hayter who taught her the special skill of engraving.

Her Art Career and Travels

When Norma Morgan was in her twenties, she won a special scholarship. This allowed her to study in England. She spent a lot of time exploring the beautiful Moorlands there. This experience deeply inspired her art. Many of her works from this time focused on nature, especially skies and clouds.

She returned to Great Britain in 1961 and stayed until 1966. In April 1966, her artwork was chosen to represent the United States. This was for the First World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar, Senegal. Other American artists in this important exhibition included Jacob Lawrence and Charles White.

Awards and Recognition

Norma Morgan won many impressive awards for her artwork. Some of these include:

• The John Hay Whitney Fellowship
• First prize at the Philadelphia Museum in 1955
• A Gold Medal for Graphics from the National Academy of Arts & Letters
• The Louis Comfort Tiffany Grant
• Three gold medals from the American Artists Professional League
• A gold medal from Audubon Artists

Her art can be found in the collection of the Academy Art Museum in Easton, Maryland.

Life in New York

Norma Morgan lived and worked in two main places. She spent time in New York City, where she mostly created engravings in her apartment. She also had a larger space for painting in Woodstock, New York.

Norma loved being outdoors. She enjoyed activities like cross-country skiing and swimming in lakes. She also played the mandolin. She would often meet with other musicians to play music in Washington Square Park.

In interviews, Norma Morgan explained her art's purpose. She said her art went "beyond" just the black experience or feminist identity. Her works showed different styles, from Realism to Surrealism and fantasy. She painted pictures of her family, landscapes, and wide views.