Will Norstrom is a junior art major who is still exploring all of his creative possibilities.
Norstrom has been creating art since he was a child. Art comes as naturally as breathing to him.
“I have always, like, done art. It’s just kind of one of those things like, ‘Why do you walk?’” Norstrom said.
This makes sense considering that Norstrom’s creative process is free-form. He doesn’t often have intricate plans or designs before he starts creating- he just starts.
“With a lot of the things I make, I don’t have a plan. So, it just kind of, like, leads me, almost,” Norstrom said, adding, “Kind of like when you’re cloud watching and you see the shape. I feel like I do that with the stuff that I make.”
Despite his process being free-form, Norstrom has had difficulties bringing exactly what is in his head to life.
“Sometimes I can see, and it’s getting better now that I’m learning more, but I can see the thing in my head but it doesn’t come out right. So then, I’ve just kind of adapted to like a good middle ground,” Norstrom said.
This did not deter him; in fact, it helped influence the subjects in his art pieces.
“If I’m trying to draw a person that actually looks like a person, and then I mess it up, I’m gonna turn it into a monster,” Norstrom explained, adding, “So, that’s kind of where a lot of my things start. Like I’ll draw, like, a dog and I’m like, ‘This dog has a lot of lumps. Now it’s a squid.’”
Two of his pieces that make use of these monsters are “Help” and “Thanks For The Help.”
“Help” was created in Fall 2023 and depicts monsters and six fingered hands surrounding a man who is curled up and sad. “Thanks For The Help” was created as a final project and depicts the same man being lifted up into the light with four monsters surrounding him once more.
“So, I see it as kind of like, you have like four elements like, air, water, earth, fire, and you have this guy in the middle that’s being brought up into the light,” Norstrom said.
Though Norstrom uses a wide variety of mediums, his favorite medium to work with is polymer clay.
“I love making weird things and drawing weird things,” Norstrom explained.
After college, Norstrom plans on either selling his art or teaching others how to make art.
“I would love to make a living off of selling my art or even like, teaching people how to do stuff that I do. But not, like, a ‘teacher’ teacher.”
As for right now, Norstrom is content with selling some of his polymer pieces at the art walk happening on April 4th.
For Norstrom, art has been a way to experiment and express himself. Art is about making mistakes and creating.
“A lot of people are afraid to make stuff because they’re worried it’s gonna be bad, but I think it’s so important to just like, not judge yourself too much when it comes to art. But to just like, make it anyways. Even if it’s bad, ‘cause you still made it,” Norstrom said.
