Alison Norlen


Alison Norlen is a visual artist who is known for large-scale drawing and sculpture installation. Her work is in private collections across the United States and Canada and in the public collections of the National Gallery of Canada, The Mackenzie Art Gallery, the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Mendel Art Gallery, the Manitoba Art Council, The Canada Council Art Bank, and the Saskatchewan Arts Board.

Life and education

Norlen grew up in Kenora, Ontario. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of Art at the University of Manitoba in 1987 and a Master of Fine Arts from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1989. Before beginning her career as a visual artist she trained as a barber.

Career

Inspired by built spectacles such as West Edmonton Mall, Disneyland, Universal Studios, Las Vegas, roadside attractions, circuses and carnival celebrations, her work is characterized by its grand scale and intricate detail. Her work is significantly influenced by theater and film, particularly the work of the Depression-era film and theatrical choreographer Busby Berkeley.
Alison Norlen is currently a professor of painting and drawing at the University of Saskatchewan in the faculty of Art & Art History. She was awarded the University of Saskatchewan College of Arts and Science Teaching Excellence Award in 2011.

Select group exhibitions

MosaiCanada: Sign & Sound, Seoul Korea Inklinations, York Quay, Toronto.In My Solitude, Manny Neubacher Gallery, Toronto.Occur/Blur, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg.