REPRESENTATIONAL OIL PAINTING
Natural Impressions of Light and Color

ABOUT NORMA

Norma Torti is a New Hampshire seacoast artist specializing in representational oil paintings. She grew up in a small town in western Massachusetts which influences her choice of subjects and her dedication to community. Her work is exhibited in private collections throughout the U.S. Norma has over forty years of painting and drawing experience and recently finished four years in the Boston School Atelier with master artist, Paul Ingbretson. Norma exhibits her work at Sidoti Fine Art Gallery, Rockport, MA and Muzio Designs, Essex, MA.

Check out my interview with the Artists of New England.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Revealing and sharing the truth about the beauty and goodness around me is why I create art. Every day I feel a childlike freedom as I observe colors, textures, and contrasts of simple things, especially in nature. I love to transform an empty canvas into a full impression of my subjects in living color. It is more than the mechanics of painting or drawing; it touches me spiritually when I see the image slowly coming to light.

I am committed to perpetuating the historical painting and drawing practices of artists from the early 20th century, particularly the Boston School Impressionists, with contemporary subjects. The subjects I choose and the atmospheric style of my work invite people into each piece where they may connect to their own truth.

UPCOMING EVENTS

– MAY 2024 –

Allied Artists of America

Online Exhibition

May 15, 2024

www.alliedartistsofamerica.org

May 15, 2024-26

LEARN MORE

– JUN 2024 –

Color Harmony

in Oil Painting Workshop

9:00AM - 4:00PM

NTFA Studio, North Hampton, NH

Jun 8, 2024

LEARN MORE

– SEP 2024 –

Simplifying the Landscape

Plein Air Workshop

9:00AM - 4:00PM

NH/ME Seacoast TBD

Sep 7, 2024

LEARN MORE

FEATURED ARTWORK

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Blue Pitcher

18" 24"
oil on canvas on panel
inquire for purchase
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INSTAGRAM

@norma_torti

Follow me on Instagram to see my inspirations and works in progress.

Here is something a little different - Sacred Art. During the months that I painted this I had 3 dreams about Jesus. In one dream I saw Him walking toward me from a distance. When He reached me He put both His hands on my head and said, “Don’t worry. I will take ALL of it.” It was pretty awesome! A custom gold frame is coming. The title is, “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” 16”w x 10”H, oil on linen on panel. 🙏🎨 #sacredart #fineart #jesus #peterandjohn #eucharisticadoration
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Thumbnail and oil color study preparation. Urban Forestry in Portsmouth. #fineart #oilpainting #pleinair #lightintheforest
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Muzio Designs of Essex, MA have 5 of my paintings on display in their beautiful gallery. https://muziodesigns.com #fineart #oilpainting #gallery #homedesigns #landscapes
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🔴 SOLD! “Peaceful Little Harbor,” 6” x 8”, oil on canvas on board. This was painted in a location on the Little Harbor Loop Trail in Portsmouth, NH. #pleinair #oilpainting #fineart #landscape #peaceful #portsmouthnh
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SOLD! This is an original charcoal drawing on paper commissioned recently by a client who presented it to her employee as a retirement gift. #commissionwork #charcoaldrawing #lighthouse #retirementgift #fineart #reddot
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Christmas gift from my son. A Caproni bas relief of Apollo. Can’t wait to draw it with my charcoal perfectly sharpened. 😊
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Exploring an idea for something new.🙏 #maybethelastsupper #jesus #charcoaldrawing #lighteffects #fineart #newideasopennewdoors
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Runnymede Farm, 16.5” x 12” oil on linen on board #cowhampshire #fineart #oilpainting #landscape #nhseacoast #lovewhereilive❤
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Time to begin a still life with a brown paper study and charcoal - in process. #fineart #charcoaldrawing #preparation
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#artexhibition #bostonschoolpainting #stilllife #oilpainting #fineart #newhampshire #seacoastnh
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On the easel in process. #nhseacoast #nhfarm #oilpainting #fineart #enpleinairpainting #cowhampshire
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#openstudio #fineart #bostonschoolpainting #anniesangelsmemorialfund #fundraiser #artsforangels
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SOLD! Double Crash, 20” x 16”, oil on canvas, to a collector in Wells, ME. #seascape, #oilpainting #lovenewengland #fineart #wellsmaine #reddot
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Supporting these wonderful people at the Caregivers’ Cafe! Spending time for an Arts for Angels project to have some fun, find connection and joy with other caregivers. Such amazing people! #anniesangelsmemorialfund #artsforangels #caregiversupport #caringforgodspeople
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Riding the Wave, oil on linen on board, 48”x 24” #oilpainting #fineart #bostonschoolpainting #seascape
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#openstudio #anniesangelsmemorialfund #fundraiser #oilpaintings #allwelcome #originaloils #gicleeprints #originaldrawings #fineart
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Brown paper study. Entry to Bound Brook Beach, Wellfleet, MA. #charcoaldrawing #beach #values #composition #preparation #lovedrawing🎨
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Working on 4 new pieces. Here are 2. Kennebunkport Breaker, 24” x 14”, Bound Brook Beach, 14” x 9.5”. #seascape #oilpaintingoncanvas #newengland
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Perfect day for en plein air painting with a few friends.
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Brown paper studies preparing for paintings. #charcoaldrawings #landscapes #seascapes #newengland
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Coppal House Farm Festival, Lee, NH #sunflowers🌻 #sunnyday #lovesummertime
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Spending time with a good friend painting in Winter Harbor, ME. #pleinairpainting #goodfriends❤️ #winterharbor #sopeacefulhere #Godsbeautyinnature
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Historical garden visit in Bar Harbor. #beautifuldestinations #Godspaintbrush🎨 #suchgoodfriends
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The primary focus of the Boston School’s method of painting is relational color. Color spots, painting from life, light effects, and a new way of seeing shifts us out of painting objects. Just finished this still life today showing a few phases of this way of painting. #atelier #bostonschoolpainting
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Swallowtail enjoying the cone flowers in our front yard. #beautifulflowers #butterflies🦋 #letitmoveyou
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A close-up of something big on the easel. #oilpainting #sneakpeek #seascape #comingsoon
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Working out some compositions with thumbnails. These are scenes from a remote beach called Bound Brook at the Cape. #capecod #beachscapes #graphitedrawing #rollinglandscape
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Progression of painting the figure in interior. #bostonschoolpainting #figureininterior #oilpainting #process #colorspots
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Trying out some new compositions with charcoal thumbnails. #newideas #newenglandlandscape #composition #valuestudy #inthelight #newhampshireseacoast
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#pinkoverload #peonies #Godsartwork #beautyinmybackyard
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All in my front yard this morning! Heard the hummingbird, but he was too fast for me. #beautyaroundus #grateful #godsworkofart #taketimetobreathe
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Last official day of the atelier year. #atelier #bostonschoolpainting #paintingfromlife #interiorwithfigure #lovemylife❤️
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Last days of painting the figure with my talented friends! #figurepainting #bostonschool #atelier #gratefulforthismoment
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“In the Light of the Past: the Students of Paul Ingbretson” opening! #bostonschoolpainting #atelier #fineart #iaminlove
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What a beautiful exhibit! #paulingbretsonstudio #inthelightofthepast #bostonschool #iaminheaven❤️
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Day 5’s palette and critique. #bostonschoolpainting #paulingbretsonstudio #atelier #paintingfromlife #loveachallenge #relationalseeing
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Great press on our Boston School art exhibit, “In the Light of the Past: Students of Paul Ingbretson.” This Saturday opening 1pm-3pm Whistler House Museum, Lowell, MA. All welcome! #bostonschoolpainting #artexhibition #paulingbretson #lovemylife❤️
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Day 4 painting model/interior. #atelier #bostonschoolpainting #stilllife #figure #oilpainting
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Day 3 painting. Lots to manage all at once. #atelier #bostonschoolpainting #figure #interior #greatchallenge #fun
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Finished! It’s Pouring Orchids, oil on canvas on board, 18”x24”. #prepwork #atelier #stilllife #floral #bostonschoolpainting
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Day 3 brown paper drawing. Next is painting.❤️ #atelier #bostonschool #figuredrawing #interior #charcoal #lovedrawingfigures
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June 3, opening reception at Whistler House Museum of Art, Lowell, MA #bostonschoolatelier #whistlerhousemuseumofart #paulingbretsonstudio #artexhibition #allwelcome #beautifulpaintings🎨
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Day 2 with the new pose. #atelier #figuredrawing #charcoal #drawingfromlife #bostonschool
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Starting a new pose with our model. #brownpaperdrawing #atelier #bostonschoolpainting school
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Sat on the porch this afternoon and drew a few little graphite drawings on paper just for the fun of it. All are 4” x 5”. #graphitedrawings #landscapes #minis #valuestudies #thumbnails #perfectspringday
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In the Light of the Past- The Students of Paul Ingbretson art exhibit at the Whistler House Museum, Lowell, MA, opening June 3. #whistlerhousemuseumofart #bostonschoolpainting #atelier #studentspastandpresent #lovemylife❤️
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I am honored to have two of my paintings accepted into the “Light of the Past, the Students of Paul Ingbretson” exhibit at the Whistler House Museum in Lowell, MA. June 3 opening. White & Gold Silhouette, 16"x20" and Blue Pitcher 24"x18". #bostonschoolpainting #atelier #oilpainting #artexhibition #whistlerhousemuseumofart
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Getting ready to paint the model in an interior setting. #iaminheaven #atelier #bostonschoolpainting #oilpainting #paintfromlife #sograteful
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A close-up of a painting on the easel almost complete. #oilpainting #atelier #closeup #northlight #love
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Starting the final painting with spots of color and outside light effects. #bostonschoolpainting #oilpainting #stilllife #teatime #llovemyjob #atelier #northlight
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Almost finished with color study. #bostonschoolpainting #oilpainting #stilllife #teatime
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Greatest man in history, had no servants, yet they called him Master. Had no degree, yet they called him Teacher. Had no medicines, yet they called him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today. His name is Jesus.
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SOLD! 🔴 #nhseascape #oilpainting #bostonschoolpainting
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Finished “Before the Crash,” oil on canvas on panel, 24” x 10”. Rye, NH. #sunlight #oilpainting #newhampshireseacoast #fineart #seascape #bostonschoolpainting
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Color study in process. #bostonschoolpainting #stilllife #lighteffects #colortransitions #lovelovelove
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Last day with our model. #figuredrawing #bostonschoolpainting #charcoaldrawing #lovedrawing #atelier
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My studio at the atelier. #lovemyspace #artallaroundus #bostonschoolpainting
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Brown paper study done. Ready for color study. #charcoaldrawing #bostonschoolpainting #atelier #atmospheric
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Ready for a signature. 😊 The NH seacoast has so much beauty! #enpleinairpainting #oilpainting #bostonschool #fineart #seascape #newhampshire
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This is feedback from one of my students from this weekend’s workshop. You never know what will happen…❤️ “Thank you for being who you are. When I’m in one of your sessions the world outside the room disappears! It’s so good for me!” #grateful #peacebewithyou #lovepainting🎨
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Studio ready for our Brushwork Workshop this weekend! 🎨👩‍🎨
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Working on a new pose. #figuredrawing #drawingfromlife #charcoal #atelier #bostonschoolpainting
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Awesome work by my student, Julie! It is a gift for her daughter. 😊🎨
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At the studio yesterday, Paul Ingbretson, my teacher, showed us some small graphite drawings that he did back in 1978-79 with his teacher R.H. Ives Gammel in Williamstown, MA. The drawings are done from life in a couple of hours each. They are all about 2” x 3”. What I love about them is that they are so small, complete, and would look awesome framed! #bostonschoolofpainting #drawing #enpleinair #paulingbretsonstudio #history #masterdrawings
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Rye, NH is having its 400th birthday. One of the events is an art exhibition. My painting, “Crash” was selected to promote the event. Check it out. https://www.ryenh400.org/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ
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#artworkshop #brushwork #bostonschoolpainting #oilpainting #lovemyjob
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Finished my color study of this still life. When we come back after the holidays, I will start the full size painting. #atelier #fineart #bostonschoolpainting #merrychristmas🎄
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Starting a new still life with a brown paper study. #atelier #proportions #thistothis #thattothat #nooutlines #stilllife
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More progress. #values #charcoaldrawing #bostonschoolofpainting #castdrawing #practicemakesprogress
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In progress, practicing my cast drawing at home. #bostonschoolpainting #charcoaldrawing #castdrawing #silhouettes
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All sharpened and ready! #charcoaldrawing #perfectlysharp #lovemyjob
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Preparing a few drawings for this weekend‘s Open Studio Fundraiser for Annie’s Angels Memorial Fund. #fundraiser #helpyourneighbors #fineart #charcoaldrawings
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OPEN STUDIO FUNDRAISER Nov 5 & 6, 10am-4pm for Annie’s Angels Memorial Fund. A % of art sales goes to support Annie’s Angels program, “Arts for Angels.” www.normatortifineart.com/events #newpaintings #myfavoritecharity #fineart #oilpaintings #newhampshire #helpourneighbors
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In process still life color start - major light effects and color transitions. #atelier #bostonschoolpainting #fineart #oilpainting #northlight
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Field trip to the Boston Public Library this summer. The murals by Sargent were amazing! #bostonlibrary #arthistory #murals #fieldtrip #bostonschoolpainting
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Start of full figure charcoal drawing from life. Same approach as cast drawing. #charcoaldrawing #atelier #bostonschoolpainting #love
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Cast drawing at the studio. #keepskillssharp #charcoaldrawing #atelier #bostonschoolofpainting
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Finished brown paper study. Next is color study. #atelier #fineart #charcoalstudyfromlife #bostonschoolpainting
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A camera obscura is set up in our studio. Vermeer, a 17th century artist, probably used one of these in his work. Look what I found inside. ❤️ #pieta #jesusandmary #atelier #cameraobscura
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Today’s critique focused on capturing the overall gesture of the design. Drawing beauty, not leaves! #atelier #charcoaldrawing #values #fineart
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Started the brown paper study today at the studio. No outlines - value masses and light effects and things start appearing. #atelier #charcoaldrawing #fineart
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Exploring new composition ideas. #thumbnails #composition #landscapes #seascapes #charcoal
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Took a few days, but I think I may have a good composition for my next still life. #stilllife #atelier #fineart #oilpainting #paintingfromlife #northlight
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All welcome to the Rye Art Study Group meeting tomorrow, 9/19, 9:30-11:30. My presentation, My Days in the Atelier,” will start at 10:15. #ryenh #fineart #presentation #atelier
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Crash and After the Crash #studies #oilpainting #fineart #pleinairpainting #ryenewhampshire
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Wellfleet sunset. #capecod #perfectnight #familia #sundown
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ONE spot left for my September Plein Air Workshop. Contact me today. www.normatortifineart.com/workshops #pleinairworkshop #fineart #oilpainting #nhseacoast
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SOLD! A couple of 5”x7” studies bought by a long time collector from CT. “Crash” and “After the Crash.” #oilpaintings #fineart #pleinairpainting #paintingfromlife
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SOLD! "Cool Morning on Hampton Beach," oil on canvas on board, to a collector who moved back to her childhood town, Hampton, NH. Thank you also to Personal Financial Strategies of North Hampton for exhibiting my work in their office. #hamptonbeach #fineart #pleinairpainting #oilpaintings #hometown
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Two spots left! Whether you have art materials or need them supplied. Lunch included. Contact me today to register. More details on my website. www.normatortifineart.com/workshops #pleinairpainting #newhampshire #allinclusive #fineart
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“Bluff Trail Nova Scotia,” oil on canvas on board, 22” x 25” #paintersparadise #oilpainting #fineart #pleinairpainting
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A beautiful evening at dusk over the NH seacoast! #beautifullight #newhampshire #seacoastnh #colorfulsky
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