For as long as he can remember, artist Norman Wyatt Jr. has always been involved in the Fine Arts. As early as second grade, he traveled to his county's high school to attend gifted art classes with seniors. Norman would pursue this passion for art, later leading him to Virginia State University where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Visual Communications, Art and Design.
Much of Norman's inspiration comes from his past professional experiences. As a senior in college, Norman worked at an African-inspired gift shop, constantly surrounded by authentic sculptures, fabrics, and jewelry. Norman later worked as an elementary art teacher, instructing kindergarten through fourth grade students. Reaching the imaginations of his young pupils, he constantly adorned the classroom and halls with bright, vibrant bulletin boards. In the past, Norman has developed a lot of the weathered, rustic, stamping techniques in the classroom during breaks from classes. "I would paint still lifes and landscapes during breaks to constantly keep myself painting. That's when I realize I had developed something different or interesting enough to even show to a publisher."
Norman equates being an artist to a sponge, constantly absorbing everything visually, to resurrect for later use. He loves the gift of being an artist and never takes it for granted. Norman lives in Virginia with his wife Maketah and their three children, Elisha, Joshua, and Lydia.
