Blackbird Archive
← v11n2, Fall 2012
Gallery · Volume 11, Number 2

“Jess Norris,” Art 180

Art 180
Jess Norris
For me, painting is essentially about embracing change and impacting a space. Through slow or determined marks, exuberant or demure color, paint reflects the tangible, the real, the human. My aim is to capture the most intimate aspect of a relationship: what happens when we uncover in others what they themselves mask. What we choose to see and how, and what it is feels like to bare it all. —Jess Norris
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Art 180

ART 180 is a nonprofit based in Richmond, Virginia, that provides after-school programs in creative expression to children in challenging circumstances. Their mission is to give young people the chance to express themselves through art, and to share their stories with others. Through public showcases such as “What Do You Stand For?,” murals, and their seasonal program exhibitions, ART 180 offers youth a safe way to talk about what matters most to them, while offering the community a compelling way to hear it.