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Ben Norris Sold at Auction Prices

Landscape painter, Naval painter, Etcher, b. 1910 - d. 2006

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  • Ben Norris (1910-2006), "Haiku Valley," 1943
    Jul. 29, 2026

    Ben Norris (1910-2006), "Haiku Valley," 1943

    Est: $200 - $300

    Ben Norris (1910-2006) "Haiku Valley," 1943 Etching and drypoint on paper From the edition of unknown size Signed and titled in pencil in the lower margin: Ben Norris; with the printed initials and date in the plate, lower right

    John Moran Auctioneers
  • BEN (ROBERT BENJAMIN) NORRIS (1910-2006) City as Landscape (City Series No. 13)1991oil on linen, signed, titled, dated and inscribed 'Ben Norris / Apr. 1991 / Studio List #609' on the reverse73 1/2 x 73 1/2in (186.6 x 186.6cm)
    Jul. 22, 2026

    BEN (ROBERT BENJAMIN) NORRIS (1910-2006) City as Landscape (City Series No. 13)1991oil on linen, signed, titled, dated and inscribed 'Ben Norris / Apr. 1991 / Studio List #609' on the reverse73 1/2 x 73 1/2in (186.6 x 186.6cm)

    Est: $1,000 - $1,500

    BEN (ROBERT BENJAMIN) NORRIS (1910-2006) City as Landscape (City Series No. 13) 1991 oil on linen, signed, titled, dated and inscribed 'Ben Norris / Apr. 1991 / Studio List #609' on the reverse 73 1/2 x 73 1/2in (186.6 x 186.6cm)

    Bonhams
  • Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Stripe No. 13 - Celebration 48 x 56 in. (Painted in 1965.)
    Jul. 15, 2026

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Stripe No. 13 - Celebration 48 x 56 in. (Painted in 1965.)

    Est: $800 - $1,200

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Stripe No. 13 - Celebration signed and dated 'Norris 1965' (lower right), titled, dated and inscribed 'Jan. 1965 / cat no. 294' (on the reverse) acrylic and collage on Masonite 48 x 56 in. Painted in 1965.

    Bonhams
  • Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Tropical Picture 48 x 36 in. (Painted in 1963.)
    Jul. 15, 2026

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Tropical Picture 48 x 36 in. (Painted in 1963.)

    Est: $800 - $1,200

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Tropical Picture signed and dated 'Norris '63' (lower center), titled, dated and inscribed 'N.Y.C. Oct.-Nov 1963 / cat no. 251' (on the reverse) acrylic and collage on Masonite 48 x 36 in. Painted in 1963.

    Bonhams
  • Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Shadow 36 x 48 in. (Painted in 1966.)
    Jul. 15, 2026

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Shadow 36 x 48 in. (Painted in 1966.)

    Est: $800 - $1,200

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Shadow signed 'Norris' (lower center), titled, dated and inscribed 'August 1966 / studio list no. 392' (on the reverse) acrylic on Masonite 36 x 48 in. Painted in 1966.

    Bonhams
  • Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Waikiki No. 10 - Sunset 60 x 48 in. (Painted in 1965.)
    Jul. 15, 2026

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Waikiki No. 10 - Sunset 60 x 48 in. (Painted in 1965.)

    Est: $800 - $1,200

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Waikiki No. 10 - Sunset signed and dated 'Ben Norris 1965' (lower center) acrylic and collage on Masonite 60 x 48 in. Painted in 1965.

    Bonhams
  • Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Godot 10 x 6 1/2 in. (Executed in 1960.)
    Jul. 15, 2026

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Godot 10 x 6 1/2 in. (Executed in 1960.)

    Est: $500 - $700

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Godot signed and dated 'Norris '60' (upper right), titled and dated 'June 1960' (on the reverse) ink and paper collage on Masonite 10 x 6 1/2 in. Executed in 1960.

    Bonhams
  • Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Composition with Black Shields 17 1/8 x 18 in. (Painted in 1962-1963.)
    Jul. 15, 2026

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Composition with Black Shields 17 1/8 x 18 in. (Painted in 1962-1963.)

    Est: $500 - $700

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Composition with Black Shields signed and dated 'Norris '63' (upper left), titled, dated and inscribed 'Aug '62-Jan '63' / cat. no. 206' (on the reverse) acrylic and collage on Masonite 17 1/8 x 18 in. Painted in 1962-1963.

    Bonhams
  • Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Volcano Gestation 18 x 24 in. (Painted in 1961.)
    Jul. 15, 2026

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Volcano Gestation 18 x 24 in. (Painted in 1961.)

    Est: $700 - $900

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Volcano Gestation signed and dated 'Norris '61' (lower right), titled and dated again 'FEB. 1961' (on the reverse) acrylic and collage on Masonite 18 x 24 in. Painted in 1961.

    Bonhams
  • Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Palm Grove sheet 23 x 31 in. (Painted in 1945.)
    Jul. 15, 2026

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Palm Grove sheet 23 x 31 in. (Painted in 1945.)

    Est: $2,500 - $3,500

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) Palm Grove signed and dated 'Ben Norris 1945' (lower left), signed again and titled (on the reverse) gouache on paper sheet 23 x 31 in. Painted in 1945.

    Bonhams
  • Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) View of the Koʻolau Mountains, Windward, Oʻahu sight 14 3/4 x 22 1/4 in. (37.4 x 56.5 cm) (Painted in 1937.)
    Jul. 15, 2026

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) View of the Koʻolau Mountains, Windward, Oʻahu sight 14 3/4 x 22 1/4 in. (37.4 x 56.5 cm) (Painted in 1937.)

    Est: $800 - $1,200

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) View of the Koʻolau Mountains, Windward, Oʻahu signed and dated 'Ben Norris 1937' (lower left) watercolor and pencil on paper sight 14 3/4 x 22 1/4 in. (37.4 x 56.5 cm) Painted in 1937.

    Bonhams
  • NORRIS, Ben (American, 1910-2006) Untitled. Crows. Watercol...
    Dec. 03, 2025

    NORRIS, Ben (American, 1910-2006) Untitled. Crows. Watercol...

    Est: $300 - $500

    NORRIS, Ben (American, 1910-2006) Untitled. Crows. Watercolor on paper. Surface dirt. Pinholes in corners. Good condition. 22 x 15 ¼”.

    Potter & Potter Auctions Inc.
  • Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) View of the Koʻolau Mountains, Windward, Oʻahu sight 14 3/4 x 22 1/4 in. (37.4 x 56.5 cm) (Painted in 1937.)
    Aug. 06, 2025

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) View of the Koʻolau Mountains, Windward, Oʻahu sight 14 3/4 x 22 1/4 in. (37.4 x 56.5 cm) (Painted in 1937.)

    Est: $1,000 - $1,500

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) View of the Koʻolau Mountains, Windward, Oʻahu signed and dated 'Ben Norris 1937' (lower left) watercolor and pencil on paper sight 14 3/4 x 22 1/4 in. (37.4 x 56.5 cm) Painted in 1937.

    Bonhams
  • Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) From the Pali Road 14 x 20 1/2 in. (35.6 x 52.1 cm) unframed (Painted circa 1937.)
    Aug. 06, 2025

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) From the Pali Road 14 x 20 1/2 in. (35.6 x 52.1 cm) unframed (Painted circa 1937.)

    Est: $800 - $1,200

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) From the Pali Road signed 'Ben Norris' (lower right), titled on the mat (on the reverse) watercolor on paper 14 x 20 1/2 in. (35.6 x 52.1 cm) unframed Painted circa 1937.

    Bonhams
  • Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) The Pali - Study image 17 1/2 x 10 1/4 in. (44.4 x 26.0 cm) (Painted circa 1950.)
    Aug. 06, 2025

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) The Pali - Study image 17 1/2 x 10 1/4 in. (44.4 x 26.0 cm) (Painted circa 1950.)

    Est: $1,500 - $2,500

    Ben (Robert Benjamin) Norris (1910-2006) The Pali - Study signed 'Ben Norris' (lower left) gouache and ink on paper image 17 1/2 x 10 1/4 in. (44.4 x 26.0 cm) Painted circa 1950.

    Bonhams
  • Ben Norris (1910-2006), "Stripe XIII; Tidal II," 1964
    Jul. 16, 2024

    Ben Norris (1910-2006), "Stripe XIII; Tidal II," 1964

    Est: $300 - $500

    Ben Norris (1910-2006) "Stripe XIII; Tidal II," 1964 Mixed media on Masonite Signed and dated lower right: Norris; dated again, titled, and inscribed, verso

    John Moran Auctioneers
  • Ben Norris (1910-2006), "Stripe XIII; Tidal II," 1964
    Apr. 16, 2024

    Ben Norris (1910-2006), "Stripe XIII; Tidal II," 1964

    Est: $600 - $800

    Ben Norris (1910-2006) "Stripe XIII; Tidal II," 1964 Mixed media on Masonite Signed and dated lower right: Norris; dated again, titled, and inscribed, verso

    John Moran Auctioneers
  • 1944 Ben Norris Watercolor - Mauna Loa Mountains
    Apr. 12, 2024

    1944 Ben Norris Watercolor - Mauna Loa Mountains

    Est: $1,300 - $1,950

    **Originally Listed At $800** Ben Norris (American, 1910-2006). "Mauna Loa Mountains" watercolor, 1944. Signed and dated at lower right. A beautiful watercolor painting of the Mauna Loa Mountains by Ben Norris that exemplifies the artist's Zen/spiritual interpretations of natural landscapes. Truly mesmerizing, Norris' masterful rendering of Mauna Loa's lofty peaks inspires awe with transcendent beauty that prompts the viewer to experience a meditative state. In Norris' words, "The act of painting is a combination of apprehension of the environment in which we live with the affirmation and the consolidation of the self within this setting." A very special and impressively large watercolor of the Mauna Loa Mountains by Ben Norris. Size: 23" L x 31" W (58.4 cm x 78.7 cm) About the artist: "Robert Benjamin Norris was born in 1910 in southern California, where he completed his undergraduate education, executed his first professional paintings, and first exhibited to critical acclaim. Although he continued to paint for 20 years after retiring to New York City and Philadelphia, he may be best known in Hawaii, where he spent the highly prolific middle part of his professional career. Norris has long been identified with the Southern California Watercolor School, which includes his colleagues, Phil Dike, Thomas Craig, Millard Sheets, Milford Zornes and Hardie Gramatky. Although he moved to Hawaii in 1936, he often returned to paint in southern California through the late 1940s and his style remained essentially that of the Southern California Watercolor School through that time. Norris studied at Pomona College, Harvard, and the Sorbonne, but supplemented his schooling by working directly with Stanton Macdonald-Wright, Jean Charlot, Josef Albers and Max Ernst. When the University of Hawaii resumed classes after World War II, Norris became Chairman of the Art Department and seized the opportunity to invite distinguished artists as visiting professors or artists-in-residence. Ernst exerted an especially potent influence, about which Norris later wrote: 'I had invited him to the University. He was both charming and accessible to us, giving me a chance to hear and to understand some authentic 'info' about Surrealism. I eventually merged some of the conventional Surrealist forms of automatic painting with Far Eastern paper handling techniques.' Ben Norris' abstract interpretations of the Hawaiian landscape Wind from the Sea I and The Pali, exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1950, were painted during this decade of artistic exploration. As a teacher, academic, and artist, Norris had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and continued to master new stylistic methods throughout his career. While well known for his bold watercolors, Norris also became an accomplished printmaker, and experienced much success with his oil and acrylic paintings, as well as his collages. His varied work always seems to imbue a mystical or spiritual aspect, which Norris spoke of in a 1965 interview for Art in America: 'The act of painting is a combination of apprehension of the environment in which we live with the affirmation and the consolidation of the self within this setting. My home-grown Zen is hybridized from Max Ernst’s surrealism, a number of contacts with psychiatry (the healing priesthood of our time), and the Religious Society of Friends, called Quakers.' Norris exhibited steadily from 1933 through 2001 in solo and group exhibitions, and garnered many awards including a Fulbright Professorship and a Yaddo Fellowship. He is represented in many permanent collections including the Honolulu Academy of Arts, the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Hawaii State Art Museum, The Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C), the McNay Art Museum (San Antonio, Texas), the Oregon State University Memorial Union (Corvallis, Oregon), and the National Museum of American Art. His work has been exhibited nationally at museums across the country including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the New York Public Library, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the deYoung Museum in San Francisco, and the Los Angeles Museum. Childs Gallery is proud to have represented this prolific and talented artist since 1998." (Source: website of Childs Gallery on Newbury Street in Boston, MA) Painting is accompanied by an old label inscribed with the title of the painting. Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #181998

    Artemis Gallery
  • 1944 Ben Norris Watercolor - Mauna Loa Mountains
    Mar. 01, 2024

    1944 Ben Norris Watercolor - Mauna Loa Mountains

    Est: $1,400 - $2,100

    **Originally Listed At $800** Ben Norris (American, 1910-2006). "Mauna Loa Mountains" watercolor, 1944. Signed and dated at lower right. A beautiful watercolor painting of the Mauna Loa Mountains by Ben Norris that exemplifies the artist's Zen/spiritual interpretations of natural landscapes. Truly mesmerizing, Norris' masterful rendering of Mauna Loa's lofty peaks inspires awe with transcendent beauty that prompts the viewer to experience a meditative state. In Norris' words, "The act of painting is a combination of apprehension of the environment in which we live with the affirmation and the consolidation of the self within this setting." A very special and impressively large watercolor of the Mauna Loa Mountains by Ben Norris. Size (sight view): 22.25" L x 29.75" W (56.5 cm x 75.6 cm) Size (frame): 34.875" L x 42.75" W (88.6 cm x 108.6 cm) About the artist: "Robert Benjamin Norris was born in 1910 in southern California, where he completed his undergraduate education, executed his first professional paintings, and first exhibited to critical acclaim. Although he continued to paint for 20 years after retiring to New York City and Philadelphia, he may be best known in Hawaii, where he spent the highly prolific middle part of his professional career. Norris has long been identified with the Southern California Watercolor School, which includes his colleagues, Phil Dike, Thomas Craig, Millard Sheets, Milford Zornes and Hardie Gramatky. Although he moved to Hawaii in 1936, he often returned to paint in southern California through the late 1940s and his style remained essentially that of the Southern California Watercolor School through that time. Norris studied at Pomona College, Harvard, and the Sorbonne, but supplemented his schooling by working directly with Stanton Macdonald-Wright, Jean Charlot, Josef Albers and Max Ernst. When the University of Hawaii resumed classes after World War II, Norris became Chairman of the Art Department and seized the opportunity to invite distinguished artists as visiting professors or artists-in-residence. Ernst exerted an especially potent influence, about which Norris later wrote: 'I had invited him to the University. He was both charming and accessible to us, giving me a chance to hear and to understand some authentic 'info' about Surrealism. I eventually merged some of the conventional Surrealist forms of automatic painting with Far Eastern paper handling techniques.' Ben Norris' abstract interpretations of the Hawaiian landscape Wind from the Sea I and The Pali, exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1950, were painted during this decade of artistic exploration. As a teacher, academic, and artist, Norris had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and continued to master new stylistic methods throughout his career. While well known for his bold watercolors, Norris also became an accomplished printmaker, and experienced much success with his oil and acrylic paintings, as well as his collages. His varied work always seems to imbue a mystical or spiritual aspect, which Norris spoke of in a 1965 interview for Art in America: 'The act of painting is a combination of apprehension of the environment in which we live with the affirmation and the consolidation of the self within this setting. My home-grown Zen is hybridized from Max Ernst’s surrealism, a number of contacts with psychiatry (the healing priesthood of our time), and the Religious Society of Friends, called Quakers.' Norris exhibited steadily from 1933 through 2001 in solo and group exhibitions, and garnered many awards including a Fulbright Professorship and a Yaddo Fellowship. He is represented in many permanent collections including the Honolulu Academy of Arts, the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Hawaii State Art Museum, The Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C), the McNay Art Museum (San Antonio, Texas), the Oregon State University Memorial Union (Corvallis, Oregon), and the National Museum of American Art. His work has been exhibited nationally at museums across the country including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the New York Public Library, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the deYoung Museum in San Francisco, and the Los Angeles Museum. Childs Gallery is proud to have represented this prolific and talented artist since 1998." (Source: website of Childs Gallery on Newbury Street in Boston, MA) Painting is accompanied by an old label inscribed with the title of the painting. Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #181998

    Artemis Gallery
  • 1944 Ben Norris Watercolor - Mauna Loa Mountains
    Feb. 09, 2024

    1944 Ben Norris Watercolor - Mauna Loa Mountains

    Est: $1,500 - $2,250

    Ben Norris (American, 1910-2006). "Mauna Loa Mountains" watercolor, 1944. Signed and dated at lower right. A beautiful watercolor painting of the Mauna Loa Mountains by Ben Norris that exemplifies the artist's Zen/spiritual interpretations of natural landscapes. Truly mesmerizing, Norris' masterful rendering of Mauna Loa's lofty peaks inspires awe with transcendent beauty that prompts the viewer to experience a meditative state. In Norris' words, "The act of painting is a combination of apprehension of the environment in which we live with the affirmation and the consolidation of the self within this setting." A very special and impressively large watercolor of the Mauna Loa Mountains by Ben Norris. Size (sight view): 22.25" L x 29.75" W (56.5 cm x 75.6 cm) Size (frame): 34.875" L x 42.75" W (88.6 cm x 108.6 cm) About the artist: "Robert Benjamin Norris was born in 1910 in southern California, where he completed his undergraduate education, executed his first professional paintings, and first exhibited to critical acclaim. Although he continued to paint for 20 years after retiring to New York City and Philadelphia, he may be best known in Hawaii, where he spent the highly prolific middle part of his professional career. Norris has long been identified with the Southern California Watercolor School, which includes his colleagues, Phil Dike, Thomas Craig, Millard Sheets, Milford Zornes and Hardie Gramatky. Although he moved to Hawaii in 1936, he often returned to paint in southern California through the late 1940s and his style remained essentially that of the Southern California Watercolor School through that time. Norris studied at Pomona College, Harvard, and the Sorbonne, but supplemented his schooling by working directly with Stanton Macdonald-Wright, Jean Charlot, Josef Albers and Max Ernst. When the University of Hawaii resumed classes after World War II, Norris became Chairman of the Art Department and seized the opportunity to invite distinguished artists as visiting professors or artists-in-residence. Ernst exerted an especially potent influence, about which Norris later wrote: 'I had invited him to the University. He was both charming and accessible to us, giving me a chance to hear and to understand some authentic 'info' about Surrealism. I eventually merged some of the conventional Surrealist forms of automatic painting with Far Eastern paper handling techniques.' Ben Norris' abstract interpretations of the Hawaiian landscape Wind from the Sea I and The Pali, exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1950, were painted during this decade of artistic exploration. As a teacher, academic, and artist, Norris had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and continued to master new stylistic methods throughout his career. While well known for his bold watercolors, Norris also became an accomplished printmaker, and experienced much success with his oil and acrylic paintings, as well as his collages. His varied work always seems to imbue a mystical or spiritual aspect, which Norris spoke of in a 1965 interview for Art in America: 'The act of painting is a combination of apprehension of the environment in which we live with the affirmation and the consolidation of the self within this setting. My home-grown Zen is hybridized from Max Ernst’s surrealism, a number of contacts with psychiatry (the healing priesthood of our time), and the Religious Society of Friends, called Quakers.' Norris exhibited steadily from 1933 through 2001 in solo and group exhibitions, and garnered many awards including a Fulbright Professorship and a Yaddo Fellowship. He is represented in many permanent collections including the Honolulu Academy of Arts, the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Hawaii State Art Museum, The Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C), the McNay Art Museum (San Antonio, Texas), the Oregon State University Memorial Union (Corvallis, Oregon), and the National Museum of American Art. His work has been exhibited nationally at museums across the country including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the New York Public Library, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the deYoung Museum in San Francisco, and the Los Angeles Museum. Childs Gallery is proud to have represented this prolific and talented artist since 1998." (Source: website of Childs Gallery on Newbury Street in Boston, MA) Painting is accompanied by an old label inscribed with the title of the painting. Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #181998

    Artemis Gallery
  • 1944 Ben Norris Watercolor - Mauna Loa Mountains
    Dec. 07, 2023

    1944 Ben Norris Watercolor - Mauna Loa Mountains

    Est: $1,600 - $2,500

    Ben Norris (American, 1910-2006). "Mauna Loa Mountains" watercolor, 1944. Signed and dated at lower right. A beautiful watercolor painting of the Mauna Loa Mountains by Ben Norris that exemplifies the artist's Zen/spiritual interpretations of natural landscapes. Truly mesmerizing, Norris' masterful rendering of Mauna Loa's lofty peaks inspires awe with transcendent beauty that prompts the viewer to experience a meditative state. In Norris' words, "The act of painting is a combination of apprehension of the environment in which we live with the affirmation and the consolidation of the self within this setting." A very special and impressively large watercolor by Ben Norris, mounted in an attractive custom frame. Size (sight view): 22.25" L x 29.75" W (56.5 cm x 75.6 cm) Size (frame): 34.875" L x 42.75" W (88.6 cm x 108.6 cm) About the artist: "Robert Benjamin Norris was born in 1910 in southern California, where he completed his undergraduate education, executed his first professional paintings, and first exhibited to critical acclaim. Although he continued to paint for 20 years after retiring to New York City and Philadelphia, he may be best known in Hawaii, where he spent the highly prolific middle part of his professional career. Norris has long been identified with the Southern California Watercolor School, which includes his colleagues, Phil Dike, Thomas Craig, Millard Sheets, Milford Zornes and Hardie Gramatky. Although he moved to Hawaii in 1936, he often returned to paint in southern California through the late 1940s and his style remained essentially that of the Southern California Watercolor School through that time. Norris studied at Pomona College, Harvard, and the Sorbonne, but supplemented his schooling by working directly with Stanton Macdonald-Wright, Jean Charlot, Josef Albers and Max Ernst. When the University of Hawaii resumed classes after World War II, Norris became Chairman of the Art Department and seized the opportunity to invite distinguished artists as visiting professors or artists-in-residence. Ernst exerted an especially potent influence, about which Norris later wrote: 'I had invited him to the University. He was both charming and accessible to us, giving me a chance to hear and to understand some authentic 'info' about Surrealism. I eventually merged some of the conventional Surrealist forms of automatic painting with Far Eastern paper handling techniques.' Ben Norris' abstract interpretations of the Hawaiian landscape Wind from the Sea I and The Pali, exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1950, were painted during this decade of artistic exploration. As a teacher, academic, and artist, Norris had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and continued to master new stylistic methods throughout his career. While well known for his bold watercolors, Norris also became an accomplished printmaker, and experienced much success with his oil and acrylic paintings, as well as his collages. His varied work always seems to imbue a mystical or spiritual aspect, which Norris spoke of in a 1965 interview for Art in America: 'The act of painting is a combination of apprehension of the environment in which we live with the affirmation and the consolidation of the self within this setting. My home-grown Zen is hybridized from Max Ernst’s surrealism, a number of contacts with psychiatry (the healing priesthood of our time), and the Religious Society of Friends, called Quakers.' Norris exhibited steadily from 1933 through 2001 in solo and group exhibitions, and garnered many awards including a Fulbright Professorship and a Yaddo Fellowship. He is represented in many permanent collections including the Honolulu Academy of Arts, the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Hawaii State Art Museum, The Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C), the McNay Art Museum (San Antonio, Texas), the Oregon State University Memorial Union (Corvallis, Oregon), and the National Museum of American Art. His work has been exhibited nationally at museums across the country including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the New York Public Library, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the deYoung Museum in San Francisco, and the Los Angeles Museum. Childs Gallery is proud to have represented this prolific and talented artist since 1998." (Source: website of Childs Gallery on Newbury Street in Boston, MA) Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #181998

    Artemis Gallery
  • Robert Benjamin (Ben) Norris (1910-2006) Two Young Men 42 x 34 in. (106.7 x 86.4 cm) Painted in 1940. (In a Koa wood frame.)
    Aug. 02, 2023

    Robert Benjamin (Ben) Norris (1910-2006) Two Young Men 42 x 34 in. (106.7 x 86.4 cm) Painted in 1940. (In a Koa wood frame.)

    Est: $6,000 - $8,000

    Robert Benjamin (Ben) Norris (1910-2006) Two Young Men signed and dated 'BEN NORRIS 1940' (lower left) oil on canvas 42 x 34 in. (106.7 x 86.4 cm) Painted in 1940. In a Koa wood frame.

    Bonhams
  • 1942 Ben Norris Aquatint Engraving "Old Tree on Tantalus" Hawaii
    Apr. 29, 2023

    1942 Ben Norris Aquatint Engraving "Old Tree on Tantalus" Hawaii

    Est: $300 - $500

    1942 Ben Norris (1910-2006) Aquatint Engraving "Old Tree on Tantalus" Oahu, Hawaii, signed and dated in pencil lower right "Ben Norris 1942" and titled lower left "Old Tree on Tantalus" remarked "2 nd State" under mat. With 1948 California State Library Prints Room exhibition label on reverse. Sight 6.5 in. x 8.5 in. Overall 19 in. x 14 in.

    Rafael Osona Auctions
  • Large Painting of Hawaiian/Hawaii Scene by Ben Norris
    Oct. 05, 2019

    Large Painting of Hawaiian/Hawaii Scene by Ben Norris

    Est: $1,500 - $4,500

    Gouache and Watercolor. Ben Norris (1910-2006). 'Mauna Lua Mountains', signed 'Ben Norris 1944', framed under glass. Frame: 89 x 109cm (35 x 43in), sight: 56 x 76cm (22 x 30in)

    Ancient Objects
  • BEN NORRIS | L.A. Industrial with Gas Tanks
    Nov. 13, 2017

    BEN NORRIS | L.A. Industrial with Gas Tanks

    Est: $20,000 - $30,000

    oil on canvas

    Sotheby's
  • Mixed media, Ben Norris
    May. 20, 2017

    Mixed media, Ben Norris

    Est: $600 - $900

    Ben Norris (American, 1910-2006), "Kaena I, No. 240," 1963, mixed media acrylic and collage on board, signed and dated lower left and verso, titled verso, cat. no. 240, overall (with frame): 25"h x 19"w

    Clars Auctions
  • Norris, Mauna Loa Mountains, W/C
    Apr. 12, 2015

    Norris, Mauna Loa Mountains, W/C

    Est: $500 - $1,000

    Ben Norris (American, 1910-2006), Mauna Loa mountains, watercolor, framed under glass, signed and dated 1944 lower right, 22" h x 30" w (view), 35" h x 43" w (frame). Provenance: From the Estate of the late Charles C. Hife, Stockton, CA.

    Kaminski Auctions
  • Ben Norris, Impending Storm over Rural California, 1935, watercolor
    Mar. 17, 2013

    Ben Norris, Impending Storm over Rural California, 1935, watercolor

    Est: $600 - $800

    Ben Norris (Californian, 1910-2006), Impending Storm over California Hills, 1935, watercolor, signed and dated lower right, sight: 14.25"h x 21.75"w, overall: 28.5"h x 36"w

    Clars Auctions
  • Ben Norris (American, 1910-2006) Guarded (Kapu), 1963 Signed "Norris 1963" l.c., titled and inscribed "...Cat. No. 250 N.Y.C. Oct-No...
    Sep. 09, 2011

    Ben Norris (American, 1910-2006) Guarded (Kapu), 1963 Signed "Norris 1963" l.c., titled and inscribed "...Cat. No. 250 N.Y.C. Oct-No...

    Est: $1,000 - $1,500

    Ben Norris (American, 1910-2006) Guarded (Kapu), 1963 Signed "Norris 1963" l.c., titled and inscribed "...Cat. No. 250 N.Y.C. Oct-Nov 1963" on the stretcher. Mixed media (oil and paper collage) on Masonite, 48 x 36 in. (121.9 x 91.4 cm), framed. Condition: Minor surface grime. Provenance: A private New England collection.

    Skinner
  • Ben Norris (American, 1910-2006) Kapoho II, 1960 Signed and dated "NORRIS '60" u.r., identified on the artist's label and with a lab.
    Sep. 09, 2011

    Ben Norris (American, 1910-2006) Kapoho II, 1960 Signed and dated "NORRIS '60" u.r., identified on the artist's label and with a lab.

    Est: $600 - $800

    Ben Norris (American, 1910-2006) Kapoho II, 1960 Signed and dated "NORRIS '60" u.r., identified on the artist's label and with a label from Munson Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut, affixed to the reverse. Mixed media (oil, gold leaf, and paper collage) on Masonite, 24 x 16 in. (61.0 x 40.6 cm), framed. Condition: Minor surface dust. Provenance: A private New England collection.

    Skinner
  • Ben Norris (1910-2006, American), watercolor painting
    Nov. 20, 2010

    Ben Norris (1910-2006, American), watercolor painting

    Est: $1,500 - $2,500

    Ben Norris (1910-2006, American), watercolor painting. "Mud Puddle with Tire Tracks", watercolor on paper, signed and dated "Norris - '80", upper right, 44.5" x 44.5" (sheet), framed under glass - Provenance: A.M. Sachs Gallery, NY - Condition Report: overall good and original, no damage observed

    Millea Bros Ltd
  • Ben Norris
    Sep. 12, 2010

    Ben Norris

    Est: $600 - $900

    Ben Norris Hawaii/California (1910-2006) SURREALIST PATH WITH TREES watercolor/gouache, unframed, signed & dated: lower right, Norris/'50 overall: H21 3/8" W14 1/8" Other Notes: Ben Norris grew up in California and moved to Hawaii in 1936. He taught at the University of Hawaii from 1937-1976 and was Chair of the Art Department. He exhibited at the Santa Monica Art Association, 1934; the California Watercolor Society, 1935-53; Pomona College, 1935, 1946; the Oakland Art Gallery, 1936; the New York World's Fair, 1939; the Crocker Art Gallery, 1946; and Santa Barbara Museum, 1946.

    Charlton Hall
  • Ben Norris (1910-2006 Honolulu, Hawaii)
    Feb. 20, 2007

    Ben Norris (1910-2006 Honolulu, Hawaii)

    Est: $1,000 - $2,000

    signed and dated lower right: Ben Norris 1945, signed again and inscribed with title on mat verso

    John Moran Auctioneers
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