# Alison Norlen

Alison Norlen (born 1962, Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a visual artist who is known for large-scale drawing and sculpture installation. Her work is in private collections across the United States and Canada and in the public collections of the National Gallery of Canada, The Mackenzie Art Gallery, the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Mendel Art Gallery, the Manitoba Art Council, The Canada Council Art Bank, and the Saskatchewan Arts Board.

## Life and education

Norlen grew up in Kenora, Ontario. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (Honours, First Class) from the School of Art at the University of Manitoba in 1987 and a Master of Fine Arts from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1989. Before beginning her career as a visual artist she trained as a barber.

## Career

Inspired by built spectacles such as West Edmonton Mall, Disneyland, Universal Studios, Las Vegas, roadside attractions, circuses and carnival celebrations, her work is characterized by its grand scale and intricate detail. Her work is significantly influenced by theater and film, particularly the work of the Depression-era film and theatrical choreographer Busby Berkeley.
Alison Norlen is currently a professor of painting and drawing at the University of Saskatchewan in the faculty of Art & Art History. She was awarded the University of Saskatchewan College of Arts and Science Teaching Excellence Award in 2011.

## Solo exhibitions

| Year | Name | Gallery | Location |
| 2013 | Luna | Mendel Art Gallery | Saskatoon, SK |
| 2012 | glimmer | Two Rivers Gallery | Prince George, BC |
| 2011 | Metro Lines | Place Des Arts | Montreal QC |
| 2011 | glimmer | Esplanade Art Gallery | Medicine Hat, AB |
| 2010 | armature | ARCH 2 Gallery, Faculty of Architecture, University of Manitoba | Winnipeg, MB |
| 2010 | glimmer | Thunder Bay Art Gallery | Thunder Bay, ON |
| 2009 | glimmer | Kenderdine Gallery | Saskatoon SK |
| 2008 | Roller Coaster | Simon Fraser University Gallery | Burnaby, BC |
| 2007 | Edifice | Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery | Kitchener, ON |
| 2006 | Alison Norlen | Harbourfront Centre | Toronto, ON |
| 2005 | Mirage | The Art Gallery of Regina | Regina, SK |
| 2005 | Alison Norlen | Anna Leonowens Gallery | Halifax, NS |
| 2004 | Studio Series, | MacKenzie Art Gallery | Regina, SK |
| 2004 | Float | Art Gallery of Swift Current | Swift Current, SK |
| 2004 | ala | Oboro | Montreal, QC |
| 2003 | Float | Kelowna Art Gallery | Kelowna, BC |
| 2003 | Float | Confederation Centre of the Arts | Charlottetown, PEI |
| 2002 | A Parade... | Stride Gallery | Calgary, AB |
| 2002 | Float | Mendel Art Gallery | Saskatoon, SK |
| 2002 | Alison Norlen | Plug In ICA | Winnipeg, MB |
| 2002 | Art Pages | Border Crossings magazine (Artist Project) | Winnipeg, MB |
| 2001 | Alison Norlen | Lake of the Woods Museum | Kenora, ON |
| 1999 | Alison Norlen | ARCH 2 Gallery, Faculty of Architecture, University of Manitoba | Winnipeg, MB |
| 1998 | Pinball Drawings | Richard Heller Gallery | Los Angeles, USA |
| 1998 | Pinball | Yukon Arts Centre | Whitehorse, YT |
| 1997 | Manitoba Studio Series | Winnipeg Art Gallery | Winnipeg, MB |
| 1993 | Hyperbole | The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba | Brandon, MB |
| 1991 | New Work | Ace Art Gallery | Winnipeg, MB |

## Select group exhibitions

* MosaiCanada: Sign & Sound, Seoul Korea (2003)
* Inklinations, York Quay, Toronto (2003).
* In My Solitude, Manny Neubacher Gallery, Toronto (2003).
* Occur/Blur, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg (2003).
* Tekeningen III, Quartair Art Contemporary Art Initiatives Dutch/Canada, Den Haag, Holland (2002).
* Figment, Two Rivers Gallery, Prince George (2002).
* After the Grain Elevator: Re-imaging the Prairie Icon, Art Gallery of Prince Albert (Oct 13 - Nov 26, 2000).