Jan Norris Seated on the Earth at STM Saskatoon

 So it was at the Thomas More Gallery on 8th January on an unusually warm  and sunny day that I learned about the depth of Jan Norris's art and its connection to Zen Buddhism. Now the title of the show made a huge sense.

Right after graduating with a Philosophy degree, Jan Norris, at age 25 became a Zen Buddhist and moved to Los Angeles Zen Centre. At the New york zen Community centre she met her husband, reared two children, became active in environmental issues facing the globe, ran a bake shop, publishing place, earned a degree in fine arts and learned to paint.

 She still spends time in the Zen ashrams.  In 2009 she went to live at the Buddhist Monastery in France. Later part of that stay, she spent four days  in Paris at Musée d'Orsay

The Zen Influence

The Exhibit is curated by Linda Stark, of the STM gallery.




Gazing at the flowers
of the morning glory
I eat my breakfast. --Basho

Zen is coming face to face with oneself in a direct way though the practice of zen zen (Meditation)

It abandons true to life perspective, and works with artificial space relations which make one think beyond reality into the essence of reality. This concept of essence as opposed to illusion is basic to Zen art in all phases

She has also been an active environmentalist for decades, working with the Saskatchewan Environmental Society and the Sierra Club of Canada. Jan Norris' car free blog is a very interesting read.

Seated on the Earth by Jan Norris  will be on show at the STM until March 3rd, 2012.