BIOGRAPHY
Born in 1947 in Portchester, NY and raised in Southern Westchester, Roth enjoyed his upbringing just north of New York City, until 1966 when he enlisted in the US Army. Norm was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany before a tour in Saigon during the Tet Offensive in Vietnam. After returning from the jungle, Norm settled in the Bronx, New York, using his GI Bill to attend School of Visual Arts part time between 1970-1977. He received his BFA at a ceremony at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as the first graduating class of the school after they became state accredited. In between his formal education, Norm had a four year mentorship under the famous classical sculptor C. Paul Jennewein, known for his work at The Vatican, The Gates of Harvard, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, amongst many other notable works. Roth also attended G.R.O.W.T.H. at The New School for Social Research (NSSR) in Manhattan for a year, to study Art Therapy.
After a very thorough and prestigious education, Norman, accompanied by his wife Donna and their two children, moved to Central New York, settling near Lake Ontario. In 1979 he taught at the Devillo Sloan School in Syracuse, NY, and by 1984 he was immersed in the local scene and taking awards in many exhibitions. Norm became a substitute teacher at the State University of NY in Oswego, and eventually in 1989 enrolled at SUNY for his Master's thesis, graduating in 1991.
1989 was also a year of grit and fortitude for Norman, as he went to war with then Governor of NY, Mario Cuomo. The State was attempting to build a nuclear waste site in Sterling, NY (along Lake Ontario), which happened to be two miles from Roth's home. After a vigorously heated anti-campaign that included politically motivated artworks produced by Roth, protests, and speaking assemblies, the entire proposal collapsed after well over a year of fighting; to which Norm felt very fulfilled in defeating the proverbial Goliath.
Shortly after this great win for the community, there was a year of cross cultural exchange between the City of Oswego, NY and Plymouth, Montserrat as the two became "Sister Cities". Norm became involved in the early 1990's and was invited to represent the arts community. He visited the West Indies island to warm reception and immersed himself into their culture. From Rastafarians to restaurant owners, tailors, ranchers, and all the way up to the Prime Minister (now called "Premiere"), he met everyone he could on the Emerald Isle. Norman made two trips and became their Cultural Liaison, assisting in the arrangement of gallery exhibitions of islander artworks, both in Montserrat, the USA, and further abroad. Tragically, the Soufriere Hills Volcano began erupting in 1995, and by 1997 had consumed two-thirds of the island, forcing most of the population to flee to the United Kingdom (as the island is a British Territory). Sadly, Norman couldn't return to Montserrat until 2009, where he was helping to set up a new art gallery for the locals. Tragedy took another turn in 2014 on the island for Norm, as he experienced internal complications early in his visit and was rushed back to New York, nearly dying on his journey. Recovering shortly after, Roth has since been anxious to get back down and reconnect with the community he holds very dear to his heart. Much of his artwork has centered around the people he met on his journeys.
Speaking on Roth's work, it is noted for many defining features. His exclusive use of complimentary underpainting and layering of rich palettes are noted cues. He is famous for his execution of a trompe l'oeil technique (which translates from French as "to fool the eyes"); where he paints the illusion of photographs taped to the canvas or patches pinned and glued down. So convincing of this he is, most people are unaware these objects are painted on until they touch the surface (when allowed). Norm has even been ridiculed by fooled judges and critics who think he doesn't respect his own work because "he leaves his references taped to the canvas for exhibition". As time passes, Norman loves to play with the depth and layering of objects, to make the observer second-guess what they are seeing. Regardless of the subject matter, his works are distinctly apparent.
Currently, Norman is enjoying his Moon Beach studio, focused on painting full-time and selling his works to collectors.
To learn more about the island of Montserrat, please click HERE and HERE.
CURRICULUM VITAE
EDUCATION
1973 Group Relations Ongoing Workshop at NSSR New York City, NY
Certificate of Completion in Art Therapy
1977 Private Instruction - C. Paul Jennewein New York City, NY
1970-77 Bachelor of Fine Arts - School of Visual Arts New York City, NY
1979 Synesthetic Education - Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
1991 Masters of Fine Arts - State University Oswego, NY
HONORS
1974 -77 Accepted by C. Paul Jennewein for Private Instruction
1986 National Award Winning painting displayed in Constitution Hall Washington DC
1990 Guest Speaker, "Art Speak", PBS Television Albany, NY
1991 Guest Speaker, Arts Seminar - SUNY Oswego Oswego, NY
AWARDS
1972 First Prize - Cooperstown National Art Open Cooperstown, NY
1986 Winning Entry - Syracuse / Onondaga County Yellow Pages Competition
1988 First Prize - Oil - 28th Annual Juried Members' Exhibition - Oswego Art Guild
1989 Second Prize - Watercolor - 29th Annual Juried Members' Exhibition - Oswego Art Guild
1993 American Red Cross - "Creative Fundraising"
1995 Merit Award - Cooperstown National Art Open
2018 First Prize - Oil Painting / Cooperstown Regional Cooperstown, NY
2021 First Prize - Oil Painting / Cooperstown Regional Cooperstown, NY
2022 Best in Show & People's Choice / Syracuse Veterans Creative (NVRC) Syracuse, NY
EXHIBITIONS
1971 Society of Illustrators New York City, NY
1973 38th Annual Art Exhibition - Cooperstown Art Association Cooperstown, NY
1986 51st Annual Art Exhibition - Cooperstown Art Association Cooperstown, NY
1988 53rd Annual Art Exhibition - Cooperstown Art Association Cooperstown, NY
28th Annual Art Show - Oswego Art Guild Oswego, NY
1989 Two-Person Show - Oswego Art Guild. Oswego, NY
Two-Person Show - Cultural Exchange Center Watertown, NY
Herland V - Oswego Art Guild Gallery Oswego, NY
Tyler Gallery Exhibition - SUNY Oswego Oswego, NY
29th Annual Art Show - Oswego Art Guild Oswego, NY
1990 One-Person Show - Vietnam War Memorial Gallery
New York State Capitol - Empire Plaza, Albany, NY
55th Annual Art Exhibition - Cooperstown Art Association Cooperstown, NY
Forum Art Exhibition - SUNY Oswego Oswego, NY
1991 Arts in Education Showcase - SUNY Oswego Oswego, NY
Browne-Davis Art Exhibition Oswego, NY
Master of Arts Thesis Exhibition - Tyler Gallery Oswego, NY
1992 Three-Person Show - Gallery Syracuse Syracuse, NY
1993 One-Person Show - Oswego Art Association Oswego, NY
1995 Cooperstown Regional Cooperstown, NY
Cooperstown National Cooperstown, NY
2018 Cooperstown Regional Cooperstown, NY
2021 Cooperstown Regional Cooperstown, NY
2022 Veteran Creatives Arts Exhibition / Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
WINNER - Regional Exhibition with "Uncle Bill"
2023 Veteran Creatives Arts Exhibition - NATIONAL St. Louis, MI
WINNER - National Exhibition with "Uncle Bill"
COLLECTIONS
1974 Saks Fifth Avenue New York City, NY
1976 Telly Savalas - Actor Los Angeles, CA
Maria Killea - Author Larchmont, NY
1979 Devillo Sloan School Syracuse, NY
1986 Syracuse Veterans Center Syracuse, NY
Brookgreen Garden Museum Murrells Inlet, SC
1989 Lake Effect Literary Art Magazine Oswego, NY
1991 Friends of Fort Ontario Oswego, NY
1992 Clifford Feldman - Recording Artist Sterling, NY
Dr. Abu Mosa - Cardiologist Dewitt, NY
Dr. Hatsumi Masaaki - Bone Setter - Kobujutsu Grandmaster Noda-Shi, Chiba-Ken, Japan
1993 Eddie Gomez - Columbia Recording Artist New York City, NY
Onondaga County War Memorial Syracuse, NY
US Veterans Administration Collection Washington, DC
Paul Barber - Author Dewitt, NY
William Michael Center for the Arts Fulton, NY
1994 United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Jesse Brown Washington, DC
1995 Hon. Reuben T. Meade - Chief Minister of Montserrat, West Indies Plymouth, Montserrat
NOTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1993 Congressional Metal of Honor Memorial Syracuse, NY
1995 Veterans Memorial VA Hospital Syracuse, NY
