Update 6/12/2024: Joe has been applying color to Monarch Girl the last few weeks. Since only part of the sculpture is painted to create a contrast with the stainless steel, a thorough masking of the leaping girl elements happens first, then undercoating, then a series of coats in various hues to create a rich finish on the butterfly parts.

The variation of oranges, from bright yellow-oranges to darker red-oranges, will enhance the depth of elements, particularly in the natural site. Once this cures, a series of clear-coat layers are applied, and we're really close to getting Monarch Girl installed.

Update 6/7/2024: We dropped off the template and checked out the stone this morning, and look how much nature is loving this sculpture - two butterfly visited us while we reviewed the installation checklist. 

Update 5/27/2024: The sculpture is coming along! Assembly and welding is almost done. What a treat to get to see a sculpture unfold. We can't wait to share the color phase!

Update 5/8/2024: We're in the cocoon phase on this project, and getting excited to see what emerges. 

The components are cut and artist Joe Norman is preparing them for welding (grinding the edges smooth, cleaning the surfaces and giving them texture to help the paint adhere, etc)

1/17/2024: Joe Norman and the National Sculptors' Guild were selected by the City of Gladstone, Missouri to place a sculpture in their Oak Grove Park. We are excited to bring a bright sculpture to this vibrant spot where the city's Theatre in the Park is annually held. The sculpture will be placed just before the first show of the summer. 

The sculpture we proposed is Monarch Girl, which depicts a girl jumping from one direction and a Monarch Butterfly from the other. Combining the natural beauty of Oak Grove Park with the activities that the park provides makes the sculpture "Monarch Girl" ideal for this site. A child gleefully leaps into action from one point of view while a colorful monarch butterfly in flight appears from another angle. One's change in perspective makes the imagery more or less clear, abstract in-between. The interactive quality of this piece will make it of interest to those who see it regularly as much as it will for someone who encounters it once.

​Fabricated from stainless-steel with two sides painted in a vibrant epoxy paint,  a natural sandstone base will make the overall scale 8ft x 5.5ft x 5ft. 

Public Art Installed at Fire Station 33  

Public art for the new Fire Station 33, 4109 S. 134th East Ave., has been installed this week, and this commissioned work, titled “Protect,” is available for the public to enjoy.

The 6-foot-tall, stainless steel sculpture is near the flag pole and public parking lot on the west side of Station 33. The Arts Commission of the City of Tulsa chose the design team of Joe Norman and the National Sculptors’ Guild for this project.

According to the National Sculptors’ Guild, this sculpture, fabricated at Joe Norman’s studio in Loveland, Colo., is intended to “activate the site and signify the exemplary service of firefighters in a single, free-standing sculpture.”

“The Arts Commission is very impressed with this artist,” Commission Chair Pam Deatherage said. “It’s an interactive piece that changes as you walk around it. Tulsa is very fortunate to have initiated, in 1964, a program where art is provided as part of the project budget - the 1% funded public arts ordinance - to include creative pieces on display at our public buildings.”

Standing on a 1,650-pound sandstone base, the sculpture has red letters spelling the word “Protect,” visible from one direction. Two other perspectives show the gray silhouette of a firefighter. Also according to the National Sculptors’ Guild, the final side, opposite “Protect,” is “an abstraction, symbolic of the unknowns that firefighters face.”

​“To have the word “Protect” in fire-engine red strengthens what this word means to those in service and the community it serves,” said John Kinkade, director of the National Sculptors’ Guild.

Norman describes his work as “creating public sculptures that show different images or words depending on the viewpoint of the observer.” Norman said, “I believe that having multiple ideas coexist in a single piece is a useful metaphor for the ecosystem of ideas that public art empowers and protects.”

Joe Norman and the National Sculptors’ Guild installed the art with help from Tulsa subcontractors. “Sculpture is a team sport,” Kinkade said. “Thank you, City of Tulsa, the Arts Commission, Tribble Stone, Voy Construction, Barnhart Excavating, American Pipe Bending, Landstar System, and the community of Tulsa. We are so proud to be part of honoring firefighters through this art placement.”

A public hose uncoupling ceremony for Fire Station 33 was held in September. Hose uncoupling is a fire service tradition similar to a ribbon cutting ceremony. Funding for this new fire station has come from the 2001 Third Penny Sales Tax and the 2013 Improve Our Tulsa sales tax. The Public Safety Sales Tax, which was approved in 2016 with the Vision Tulsa sales tax, has provided funding to hire more firefighters to fully staff this new station.  - City of Tulsa, Nov. 16, 2022

Update 11/9/2022: Fire Engine red paint has been added and the sculpture has been set in its cradle, the stone has been drilled (thanks Tribble Stone) and everything is ready for transport to Tulsa.

Update 10/14/2022:

​Our project with the City of Tulsa, Oklahoma is all but ready to install. Some Fire Engine Red will complete the look.

Just a few more weeks and Joe Norman’s firefighter sculpture “Protect will be in its new home at Fire Station 33. Stay tuned for pics of the install.

​Update 9/23/2022: Barnhart Excavating poured the footing for "Protect" at Fire Station 33 on a blue-sky day in Tulsa. 

Update 9/15/2022: Things are really growing. we're about half way through the fabrication phase.

Update 9/1/2022:  The monument isn't ready yet, but "Protect" was at the dedication of Fire Station 33 in a small way. The maquette was present during the celebration, and even made it into the hands of the Chief. We couldn't be happier with the initial response and are also feeling great about our red matching the engine. #NailedIt  Congratulations on your new Fire Station, Tulsa!

Update 7/6/2022: Our project with the @cityoftulsa for their Fire Station 33 is taking shape. We are very excited to see Joe Norman’s firefighter sculpture “Protect” develop. Engineering is complete and Joe has created the final maquette. Full-size enlargement is next.

6/9/2021: Joe Norman's "Protect" is earmarked for placement in front of the City of Tulsa's Fire Department 33. The 6-ft tall stainless steel sculpture depicts the silhouette of a firefighter from one angle, and the word protect from another. The National Sculptors' Guild's proposal of Norman's work was selected from an open call to artists to place "Protect".

Our initial approach for this site is to place a free-standing sculpture from Norman's word play series activating as much of the site as possible. The iconic sculpture will be fabricated from stainless steel,
with one side painted in durable epoxy paint to tie into the building's aesthetic. The first thing that comes to mind for us when thinking about a fire-fighter is the word "Protect" so that word is viewed from one direction. The other perspective shows the silhouette of a fire-fighter approaching their call to action. Opposite the word is an abstraction, symbolic of the unknowns that fire-fighter's face.

So pleased that three NSG members have had sculptures selected to add to the City of Loveland Art in Public Places' collection at Benson Sculpture Garden this year. One of the best sculpture gardens in the nation is in our backyard and is filled with lots of our artists’ work. And soon, there'll be more! If you haven’t seen it, come visit!

Congratulations to Craig Campbell, Jack Hill and Joe Norman!

#CraigCampbell #JoeNorman #JackHill #NSG #PublicArt #BensonPark #LovelandCO #NationalSculptorsGuild #Sculpture

Via @lovelandpublicart: In early February 2022, the Loveland Visual Arts Commission approved the gracious donation of the six new sculptures for the Benson Sculpture Gardens by the Loveland High Plains Arts Council (LHPAC). This year’s selection of artworks continues the legacy of sculpture contributions to the Loveland community. These sculptures will be installed in early summer, with a formal dedication during the second weekend in July.  
This year's selected pieces:
1. Abracadabra; Craig Campbell; Bronze – 84” x 60” x 48”
2. On a Roll; Jack Hill; Bronze – 84” x 48” x 28”
3. Hangin’ Around; Mark Hopkins; Bronze – 66” x 52” x 36”
4. Open Window; Ted Schaal; Bronze, Stainless Steel, 24K Gold –108” x 48” x 24”
5. Monarch Girl; Joe Norman; Stainless Steel – 72”
6. Power of Thought; Victor Issa; Bronze – 120” x 88” x 41”

The National Sculptors’ Guild installed 18 public art placements in 2020, truly a triumph for the challenges we all faced in the year.

We are excited to have several new projects set to install in 2021 that we will be sharing in the near future.

Our 2020 public art placements are... (click titles to learn more)

My Heart is in Your Hands, Jane DeDecker, Downey, CA
Homeward/Monarch, Joe Norman, Downey, CA
Mock Orange, Michael Warrick, Whittier, CA
Time, Carol Gold, Bend, OR
Between the Lines, Jane DeDecker, Loveland, CO
Leaps and Bounds, Daniel Glanz, Brighton, CO
Sweet Dreams & Grassland Trio, Daniel Glanz, Brighton, CO
Mockingbird Tree, Michael Warrick, Southlake, TX
On a Roll, Jack Hill, Downey, CA
From a Different Perspective, Jane DeDecker, Downey, CA
Infinite Dance, Carol Gold, Downey, CA
Tree of Life, Clay Enoch, Downey, CA
Burro Trio, Jane DeDecker, Southlake, TX
Bamboo, Tim Cotterill (The Frogman), Joplin, MO
Keeping the Ball Rolling, Jane DeDecker, Edmond, OK
On a Roll, Jack Hill, Edmond, OK
Rev. Pond, Denny Haskew, Shakopee, MN
Tried and True, Gary Alsum, Edmond, OK

We've now placed 530 public art monuments since 1992!

​The National Sculptors 'Guild’s board of directors nominated Joe Norman to move up from Affiliate to Associate within our organization. This passed with over two-thirds support by the current Fellows.

We have had amazing success from the start with Joe, placing public art in Texas, Georgia and California. The latest project was a 12-ft tall sculpture Homeward/Monarch for the City of Downey, CA. We have really enjoyed working with Joe, he always brings a creative twist to a call for art, and always with a smile. 

The intention behind these multi-focal sculptures is to open dialogue of how we can transform ideas/statements/actions through a simple change of one's own perspective. As the viewer approaches the artwork from one side, they see the form of butterflies emerge, from another angle, the word "homeward" becomes clear.

Homeward/Monarch by Joe Norman and the National Sculptors' Guild is 12 ft tall, fabricated in stainless steel and paint. Look for it on the corner of Downey Avenue and 2nd Street, Downey, CA
NSG placement 514

February 20, 2020From #SnowyColorado to #SunnyCalifornia the #NationalSculptorsGuild has loaded up the first two sculptures for the @cityofdowneyca’s #PublicArt program.

The making of Homeward/Monarch September - November 2019

Golden Blue Guard Dog Bike Rack by Joe Norman and the National Sculptors' Guild placed in Roswell, GA, 2019. Features a Golden Retriever Dog cutout of Stainless Steel, painted royal blue. The dog can "guard" one's bike while you play at the park.

Great cities integrate art, aesthetic elements into the fabric of who they are and that means integrating aesthetic elements into the design of the structure of everyday life. Bike racks are a wonderful way to capture a city’s vibe, provoke curiosity, and a smile.

Since 2006, the City of Roswell has been designated as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. Roswell was the first city in Georgia to receive this recognition.

The Bike Rack Project is a partnership initiative between the City of Roswell and Roswell Arts Fund.  

​NSG Public Art #511

Guard Dog Bike Rack by Joe Norman and the National Sculptors' Guild placed in Roswell, GA 2019

​NSG Public Art #511

The City of Southlake's iconic shield is being created by NSG's Joe Norman. The clay was rushed off to the foundry so that a number of these shields will be ready for city buildings this Winter. The finished product will be cast Stainless Steel, and Joe's sculpted the shield in a couple sizes. 

#ArtfulLogos #MakeAStatement

The National Sculptors 'Guild is pleased to announce our newest Affiliate member, Joe Norman. 

Joe graduated with a degree in Product Design from Stanford and worked with design consulting firms for a number of years before teaching middle school and customizing vintage motorcycles. For the past ten years he has been a full-time sculptor, focusing on handmade and site-specific works informed by the intersection of the natural and human-made environment.

Joe was the Artist-In-Residence at Great Basin National Park and frequently speaks on art and its role in social justice. His work is in permanent public and private collections across the United States. He currently maintains his studio at Artworks Loveland.

We're excited by Joe Norman's diverse exploration of material and imaginative approach to varied subject matter. From word play, to morphing silhouettes; magnified microcosms to figurative renderings from reclaimed bicycle parts, Joe fills the public space with a bit more wonder through sophisticated form. His work  makes interaction unavoidable and we're pleased to add him to our team.

Smaller works are also available for the home collector. You'll start seeing Joe's sculpture at Columbine Gallery and in the National Sculptors' Guild sculpture garden by mid-October, and can start ordering online now.... click here to shop