Potter’s wife wants work to preserve his memory
Published:Saturday | January 1, 2022 | 12:08 AMJudana Murphy/Gleaner Writer
Marsha Norman has chosen to honour her late husband and master potter, Christopher, in a manner to have his work outlive him.
Christopher, who had made exquisite teapots and taught at St Andrew High School for Girls for 24 years after doing a short stint at Clan Carthy High School, also taught pottery and sculpting.
“His mom says he was very artistic, and when he started attending Jonathan Grant High School, he met an art teacher whose skill set included pottery. He taught him pottery and encouraged him to enrol at Edna Manley,” Norman said, adding that her husband was mentored by Walford Campbell at Edna, whom he worked with after graduation.
Norman recalled that before she even began dating her husband of 22 years, he drew a portrait of her which left her in awe and she often accompanied him to art fairs and exhibitions.
“Chris often said that pottery is sometimes sold based on the strength of the economy because art is luxury; you don’t buy it like how you buy clothes or food. I know he can paint well, so I always encouraged him to tap into it,” she said.
Her husband did not yield until the COVID-19 pandemic hit Jamaica in 2020 and he had more time on his hands, as he no longer had to drive from Temple Hall in St Andrew to school.
He purchased canvases, stretched them on his own and from that time until his death, he produced more than 40 paintings.
Christopher died on August 7, 2021, at 54 years old, after battling a brief illness.
The paintings showcase children at play, children praying, landscapes and sunsets. There are also some adult portraits among his creations.
Norman recalled that the family would take long drives after church on a Sunday to capture photographs, which became the foundation of the landscape paintings.
“Most of the paintings were done on the veranda. We were creating lasting memories and we didn’t know. He finished very strong. It’s a big loss that he’s gone so early, but when we reflect as a family, we are very proud of him, and in his own way, he got to say goodbye to the girls,” Norman said.
“After he passed, one day, I was at home and I looked at his potter’s wheel. I didn’t want what he was doing to stop with his death, but I can’t do pottery. I knew for a fact that I did not want to sell his original pieces,” she recalled.
Along with her daughters, Chris-Ann and Janeil, Norman founded View, Sip and Buy (VSB) in November to keep her husband’s art alive.
At the VSB shows, original paintings are on display and prints are available for purchase.
Norman said a number of his past students have turned up at the shows and have been amazed by his work, as they did not know their teacher as a painter.
Their daughters are both artistic and the photos of the paintings which are being sold were captured by Chris-Ann.
“Janeil, my 16-year-old, is very detailed. So when Chris drew adult portraits, if he wanted honest feedback, he would call her,” the mother said.
Norman hopes to host a show on the last Saturday of each month in 2022 and launch a foundation in her husband’s honour.
“I have pointed out to my daughters the significance of the work their father did and they have both agreed that his work must outlive him,” she remarked.
For more information, contact Marsha Norman at 876-774-6008 or visit www.masterpotternorman.com.