About Nora
Baltimore County
Nora Sturges has exhibited her work widely in solo shows at the Second Street Gallery in Charlottesville, Virginia, Spaces in Cleveland, David Lusk Gallery in Nashville, C. Grimaldis Gallery and School 33 in Baltimore, the 1708 Gallery in Richmond, the Lancaster (PA) Museum of Art, and Ventura College (CA), among others. Her group exhibitions have included Lonsdale Gallery in Toronto, Galerie Youn in Montreal, Civilian Art Projects in Washington, D.C., Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien in Berlin,… more
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Things Not Seen
In my recent work, I am inspired by medieval paintings as pathways to abstraction and world building. I’m especially drawn to late medieval Italian frescoes, to their imperfections and the connection to humanity they give me. I find the process of viewing these paintings exciting. Right away there are unambiguous details that spring to life—a pointing finger, the shoulder joint of some armor—while the spatial context remains mysterious. As I spend time with the work, that context quickly becomes understandable and meaningful, but it’s that first moment of confusion, of simultaneous clarity and mystery that I most love.
Viewing these paintings, it seems to me that time collapses. I connect to the human subject matter of the scene depicted, to the artist whose artistic choices are so alive, and to my contemporary, post-abstraction viewing context. I see worlds coming together — the holy and the earthly, the medieval and the present day, the abstract and the descriptive. The imperfection of these works, after hundreds of years of wear and tear, opens them up. As a 21st century viewer, I find them thrilling experiences of abstraction. My work attempts to understand and build upon that perceptual moment.
Viewing these paintings, it seems to me that time collapses. I connect to the human subject matter of the scene depicted, to the artist whose artistic choices are so alive, and to my contemporary, post-abstraction viewing context. I see worlds coming together — the holy and the earthly, the medieval and the present day, the abstract and the descriptive. The imperfection of these works, after hundreds of years of wear and tear, opens them up. As a 21st century viewer, I find them thrilling experiences of abstraction. My work attempts to understand and build upon that perceptual moment.
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Yawn (After Giotto)Yawn (After Giotto), gouache on panel, 6x8 inches, 2022
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Crooked WillCrooked Will, gouache on panel, 6x8 inches, 2022
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Voices in the DarkVoices in the Dark, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2022
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UntitledUntitled, 2020, gouache on panel, 6x8 inches
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Once in AleppoOnce in Aleppo, 2021, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches
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Untitled (after the Master of the Osservanza)Untitled (after the Master of the Osservanza), 2020, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches
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Apprentice HairdresserApprentice Hairdresser, 2021, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches
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Going UndergroundGoing Underground, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2021
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Escape RoomsEscape Rooms, 2021, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches
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Turkish DelightTurkish Delight, 2021, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches
Things Not Seen (continued)
In my recent work, I am inspired by medieval paintings as pathways to abstraction and world building. I’m especially drawn to late medieval Italian frescoes, to their imperfections and the connection to humanity they give me. I find the process of viewing these paintings exciting. Right away there are unambiguous details that spring to life—a pointing finger, the shoulder joint of some armor—while the spatial context remains mysterious. As I spend time with the work, that context quickly becomes understandable and meaningful, but it’s that first moment of confusion, of simultaneous clarity and mystery that I most love.
Viewing these paintings, it seems to me that time collapses. I connect to the human subject matter of the scene depicted, to the artist whose artistic choices are so alive, and to my contemporary, post-abstraction viewing context. I see worlds coming together — the holy and the earthly, the medieval and the present day, the abstract and the descriptive. The imperfection of these works, after hundreds of years of wear and tear, opens them up. As a 21st century viewer, I find them thrilling experiences of abstraction. My new work attempts to understand and build upon that perceptual moment.
Viewing these paintings, it seems to me that time collapses. I connect to the human subject matter of the scene depicted, to the artist whose artistic choices are so alive, and to my contemporary, post-abstraction viewing context. I see worlds coming together — the holy and the earthly, the medieval and the present day, the abstract and the descriptive. The imperfection of these works, after hundreds of years of wear and tear, opens them up. As a 21st century viewer, I find them thrilling experiences of abstraction. My new work attempts to understand and build upon that perceptual moment.
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CrowdCrowd, 4.5x6 inches, gouache on panel, 2020
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TentTent, 6x9 inches, gouache on panel, 2020
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Thought FoxThought Fox, 4.5x6 inches, gouache on panel, 2021
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Big TopBig Top, 6x9 inches, gouache on panel, 2020
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Magic Box (after Giovanni di Paolo)Magic Box (after Giovanni di Paolo), 4.5x6 inches, gouache on panel, 2021
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DoubleDouble, 4.5x6 inches, gouache on panel, 2020
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Byzantines (after Sano di Pietro)Byzantines (after Sano di Pietro), 4.5x6 inches, gouache on panel, 2021
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Remain in LightRemain in Light, 4.5x6 inches, gouache on panel, 2021
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After Before.JPEGAfter Before, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2021
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Dutch WonderlandDutch Wonderland, 4.5x6 inches, gouache on panel, 2021
The View from the Road: Darwin
In this ongoing project, begun while deprived of physical travel early in the pandemic, I am following the route Charles Darwin took with the Beagle (1832-36) using Google Street View, and making tiny, postcard-sized paintings of what I discover. Like Darwin, I am dedicated to observation and guided by curiosity. Darwin’s observations led, years later, to the theories of natural selection and evolution he set forth in On the Origin of Species; already my observations are leading me to ideas about the human species.
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The View from the Road: Darwin #10The View from the Road: Darwin #10, 4x5.25 inches, oil on panel, 2021
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The View from the Road: Darwin #9The View from the Road: Darwin #9, 4x5.25 inches, oil on panel, 2021
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The View from the Road: Darwin #6The View from the Road: Darwin #6, 4x5.25 inches, oil on panel, 2021
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The View from the Road: Darwin #14The View from the Road: Darwin #14, 4x5.25 inches, oil on panel, 2022
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The View from the Road: Darwin #19The View from the Road: Darwin #19, 4x5.25 inches, oil on panel, 2022
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The View from the Road: Darwin #20The View from the Road: Darwin #20, 4x5.25 inches, oil on panel, 2022
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The View from the Road: Darwin #23The View from the Road: Darwin #23, 4x5.25 inches, oil on panel, 2022
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The View from the Road: Darwin #15The View from the Road: Darwin #15, 4x5.25 inches, oil on panel, 2022
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The View from the Road: Darwin #27The View from the Road: Darwin #27, 4x5.25 inches, oil on panel, 2022
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The View from the Road: Darwin #21The View from the Road: Darwin #21, 4x5.25 inches, oil on panel, 2022
Levitation I
In my recent work, I am inspired by medieval paintings as pathways to abstraction and world building. I’m especially drawn to late medieval Italian frescoes, to their imperfections and the connection to humanity they give me. I find the process of viewing these paintings exciting. Right away there are unambiguous details that spring to life—a pointing finger, the shoulder joint of some armor—while the spatial context remains mysterious. As I spend time with the work, that context quickly becomes understandable and meaningful, but it’s that first moment of confusion, of simultaneous clarity and mystery that I most love.
Viewing these paintings, it seems to me that time collapses. I connect to the human subject matter of the scene depicted, to the artist whose artistic choices are so alive, and to my contemporary, post-abstraction viewing context. I see worlds coming together — the holy and the earthly, the medieval and the present day, the abstract and the descriptive. The imperfection of these works, after hundreds of years of wear and tear, opens them up. As a 21st century viewer, I find them thrilling experiences of abstraction. My new work attempts to understand and build upon that perceptual moment.
Viewing these paintings, it seems to me that time collapses. I connect to the human subject matter of the scene depicted, to the artist whose artistic choices are so alive, and to my contemporary, post-abstraction viewing context. I see worlds coming together — the holy and the earthly, the medieval and the present day, the abstract and the descriptive. The imperfection of these works, after hundreds of years of wear and tear, opens them up. As a 21st century viewer, I find them thrilling experiences of abstraction. My new work attempts to understand and build upon that perceptual moment.
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OstiaOstia, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2019
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More than ThisMore than This, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2019
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HoundsHounds, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2019
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AtticAttic, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2019
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ShiftShift, gouache and oil on panel, 6x9 inches, 2019
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Sleight of HandSleight of Hand, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2019
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TempestTempest, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2019
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BattleBattle, 8x10 inches, oil on panel, 2019
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LevitationLevitation, 8x10 inches, oil on panel, 2019
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PrehistoparcPrehistoparc, 4.5x6 inches, gouache on panel, 2019
Levitation II
In my recent work, I am inspired by medieval paintings as pathways to abstraction and world building. I’m especially drawn to late medieval Italian frescoes, to their imperfections and the connection to humanity they give me. I find the process of viewing these paintings exciting. Right away there are unambiguous details that spring to life—a pointing finger, the shoulder joint of some armor—while the spatial context remains mysterious. As I spend time with the work, that context quickly becomes understandable and meaningful, but it’s that first moment of confusion, of simultaneous clarity and mystery that I most love.
Viewing these paintings, it seems to me that time collapses. I connect to the human subject matter of the scene depicted, to the artist whose artistic choices are so alive, and to my contemporary, post-abstraction viewing context. I see worlds coming together — the holy and the earthly, the medieval and the present day, the abstract and the descriptive. The imperfection of these works, after hundreds of years of wear and tear, opens them up. As a 21st century viewer, I find them thrilling experiences of abstraction. My new work attempts to understand and build upon that perceptual moment.
Viewing these paintings, it seems to me that time collapses. I connect to the human subject matter of the scene depicted, to the artist whose artistic choices are so alive, and to my contemporary, post-abstraction viewing context. I see worlds coming together — the holy and the earthly, the medieval and the present day, the abstract and the descriptive. The imperfection of these works, after hundreds of years of wear and tear, opens them up. As a 21st century viewer, I find them thrilling experiences of abstraction. My new work attempts to understand and build upon that perceptual moment.
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Bang, BangBang, Bang, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2018
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GauchoGaucho, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2018
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CascadeCascade, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2018
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CragsCrags, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2018
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BollywoodBollywood, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2018
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PassagePassage, gouache on panel, 4.5x6 inches, 2018
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Flashlight TagFlashlight Tag, 5x7 inches, egg tempera on panel, 2018
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ArrivalArrival, 8x10 inches, gouache on panel, 2018
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ConstellationConstellation, 6x9 inches, gouache and oil on panel, 2018
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BeardsBeards, 8x10 inches, oil on panel, 2018
2015
Egg tempera paintings mostly inspired by Giotto.
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Giotto's Hole2015, egg tempera on MDF, 12x16 inches
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Fragments2015, egg tempera on MDF, 5x6.5 inches
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Throne2015, egg tempera on MDF, 6.5x7.5 inches
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Wig on Table2015, egg tempera on MDF, 5x7 inches
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Barricade2015, egg tempera on MDF, 5x6 inches
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Window2015, egg tempera on MDF, 7x5.75 inches
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Signs2015, egg tempera on MDF, 14x17.5 inches
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Untitled2015, egg tempera on MDF, 7.75x6 inches
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Plank2015, egg tempera on MDF, 4x6 inches
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Burninig Cat Tree2015, egg tempera on MDF, 7x6 inches
The Building
Paintings of the building I work in.
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Table with Gloves2015, oil on MDF, 7x8.75 inches
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<B>Stairwell</B><BR>
Inspired by the Grand Gallery of the Great Pyramid at Giza. -
Hall with Vent2015, oil on MDF, 7x5 inches
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Mattress2015, oil on MDF, 8x10 inches
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Ceiling Leak2015, oil on MDF, 7.25x6 inches
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Dust Mask2015, oil on MDF7x9 inches
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Charger2015, oil on MDF, 8x10 inches
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Utility Sink
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Broom Corner2014, 4.75x4 inches
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Corner with Chair2015 oil on MDF, 5 x 6.25 inches
Temporary Cities
The paintings in this series depict the edges of human habitation— outposts in the wilderness of the arctic and overlooked margins of densely populated areas nearer home. The familiar landscapes examine both the practical and unplanned ways we transform our visual environment, while the arctic scenes offer evidence of our attempts to measure, tame, live in, understand, and improve our world, set against the unknowable vastness of nature itself.
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sturges-floats.jpg
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Drain2013, oil on mdf, 8x10.75 inches
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Desert Platformoil on MDF, 9x10.5 inches
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Moon Bounceoil on MDF, 7.25x10 inches
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Parking Garageoil on MDF, 8x10 inches
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Wigs in Snow2013, oil on MDF, 10x12 inches
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Industryoil on MDF, 7.5x11 inches
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Housesoil on MDF, 7.75x12.5 inches
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Tank2012, oil on MDF, 8x11 inches
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Sculpture Park2011, oil on MDF, 9x12 inches
Temporary Cities II
The paintings in this series depict the edges of human habitation— outposts in the wilderness of the arctic and overlooked margins of densely populated areas nearer home. The familiar landscapes examine both the practical and unplanned ways we transform our visual environment, while the arctic scenes offer evidence of our attempts to measure, tame, live in, understand, and improve our world, set against the unknowable vastness of nature itself.
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Pier2013, oil on MDF, 10x12 inches
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Planet Aid2013, oil on MDF, 10x12 inches
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Sulfur-loving Plant2014, oil on MDF, 10x12 inches
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Construction Site2014, oil on MDF, 9x12 inches
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Moss Garden2014, oil on MDF, 8.5x10 inches
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Plant2013, oil on MDF, 10x11.25 inches
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Bridge2014, oil on MDF, 7x9 inches
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Lost Cushions2013, oil in MDF, 10x12 inches
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Temporary Fencing2011, oil on MDF, 6.5x15 inches
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Mounds2013, oil on MDF, 6.5x9 inches
Pictures of the Edge
These paintings depict arctic landscapes at the edge of human habitation. They offer evidence of man's attempts to measure, tame, live in, and understand his world, within the unknowable vastness of nature itself. Are we looking at the ending of something, or the beginning of something else?
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Greenhouse 22014, oil on MDF, 9x11 inches
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Platform2010, oil on MDF, 8x10 inches
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Housing Estates2009, oil on MDF, 8x9 inches
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Bamboo Forestoil on MDF, 9x11 inches
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Decoy2009, oil on MDF, 9x12 inches
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Research Station2009, oil on MDF, 7.75x10.25 inches
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Dinosaur Parkoil on MDF, 8x13 inches
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Control Room2014, oil on MDF, 9x11.5 inches
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Dugouts2013, oil on MDF, 8x11 inches
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Lookout2013, oil on MDF, 9x12 inches