Norman Barney
(Born in Saginaw, Michigan, moved to Canada in 1969. Resides in Petrolia and on Manitoulin Island, Ontario)
www.normanbarney.ca n.barney@gmail.com @normanbarney1393
Norman Barney is a multimedia artist who currently works at his studios in Petrolia and on Manitoulin Island. His themes are based on cultural stereotypes, kitsch, nostalgia, and tourism and also reflect social and environmental concerns. His work consists of paintings and wall hung and free-standing assemblages. Continuing with his theme of cultural stereotypes, he also has been working with installation using found objects, kitsch, memorabilia, and furniture. His work is a sophisticated form of Outsider Art or Art Singular. Norm is also a member of an Art Singular group called Remix Collective.
Education: Self-educated.
Residencies
Art Mai Chaing Mai Thailand March/April 2024
La Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario, Sudbury Ontario August to November 2021. A virtual residency during COVIID.
UnPack Art Residency March 1 to March 23, 2017 Havana, Cuba
Banff Artist Independent Residency Sept. 11 to Oct. 8, 2016 Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta
Banff Artist Independent Residency June 1 to June 27, 2015 Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta
Past Remix Collective Shows
Inside Outside Upside Down Remix Collective Virtual art show at Galerie Colline, Edmunston
New Brunswick, Feb. 11 to June 11, 2021
Leamington Centre for the Arts, Leamington ON Remix Collective October 2019 with Karine
Giboulo, Laurie Langford, Terry Graff, and Claude Bolduc
Thames Art Gallery, Chatham, Ontario We Come in Pieces July and August, 2019
Popup show at Norman’s studio September, 2018 with Karine Giboulo, Laurie Langford, Claude Bolduc and Terri Graff
Featured Artist Show
Curious and Curiouser Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery Sarnia, ON 2014 (with Ron Noganosh, the Doody’s, Karine Giboulo, Katherine Heard, James James Kirkpatrick, Dagmara Genda, Chris Stones)
Selected Solo Shows
ARTspace, Chatham, ON A Continuing Saga: Resistance and Resilience May 2023
Loop Gallery, Toronto, ON Original Aboriginal Art August 2013
Spaha Lounge, Toronto, ON Aug. 2005
Lola's Lounge, Sarnia, ON Apr. 2005
Rogue's Gallery, Paisley, ON Nov. 2004
Gallery Lambton,. Sarnia, ON Sept. 2000
Arts on King, Toronto, ON Nov. 1994
Gallery Lambton, Sarnia, ON Aug. 1994
Kenneith Gallery, Sarnia, ON Feb. 1994
Kenneith Gallery, Sarnia, ON Jan. 1992
Selected Group Shows
Thames Art Gallery, Chatham, ON Juried Art Show 2025 2 works accepted
Thames Art Gallery, Chatham, ON Juried Art Show 2023 3 works accepted
Glenhyrst Art Gallery, Brantford ON Juried Art Show 2023
Cambridge Art Galleries, Idea Exchange, Cambridge ON Common Waters June to Sept. 2019
Victoria Hall, Petrolia ON May 2019 Kitsch Diversions With Jane Austin
Gallery 1313, Toronto July 2018 Reuse/Remix With Laurie Langford
Art Gallery of Mississauga 2018 Visual Arts Mississauga 40th Annual Juried Show of Fine Arts
ARTspace, Chatham, Ontario World of Kitsch with Jane Austin 2017
Tangent Gallery, Detroit, Michigan Breaking Borders Juried Show 2016
Art Gallery of Mississauga 2017 Visual Arts Mississauga’s 39th Annual Juried Show of Fine Arts
Glyde Hall Gallery, Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff AB B.A.i.R. Group Show 2016
Thames Art Gallery Chatham ON Breaking Barriers 2015 and 2016
Group Shows The Urban Shaman, Winnipeg, MB Nov. 2014, 2015, and 2016
Gallery 1313 Toronto, ON The Sex Show Feb. 2014, 2015, and 2017
Gallery Lambton, Sarnia ON ‘Please God’ Sound/video Installation with Jane Austin 2010
Gallery Lambton, Sarnia, ON Paper Machete 2009
Common Ground Gallery, Windsor, ON Young Love 2003
Grants
Exhibition Assistance Grant for Reuse/Remix Gallery 1313 Ontario Arts Council 2018
National and International Residency Grant Ontario Arts Council 2016
Exhibition Assistance Grant for Curious and Curiouser Ontario Arts Council 2014
Exhibition Assistance Grant for Original Aboriginal Art Ontario Arts Council 2013
Exhibition Assistance Grant for Please God! Ontario Arts Council 2010
Awards
Honorable Mention Look Show, Gallery Lambton, Sarnia ON 2002
People's Choice Award Look Show, Gallery Lambton, Sarnia ON 1996
2nd Place Look Show, Gallery Lambton, Sarnia ON 1994
1st Place Environmental Show, Bear Creek Studio Juried Show, Petrolia, ON 1991
1st Place Black and White Show, Bear Creek Studio Juried Show, Petrolia, ON 1990
Publications and Videos and Artist Talks
-Artist talk, Thames Gallery October 18, 2025 with Matt Bahen, juror
-Featured article in Lucid Dreams magazine, Toronto ON, Fall Edition 2025
-Raw Vision magazine, Summer 2023 edition
-The Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery has produced a catalogue of Curious and Curiouser, which was released in April, 2016. This publication is written and produced by the Director/Curator, Lisa Daniels, designed by Lisa Kiss and photographed by Toni Hafkenscheid.
-Articles in the Sarnia Observer (Feb. 5, 2014), Petrolia Topic (Wed. Feb. 5, 2014), and the Petrolia Independent (Thurs. Feb. 13, 2014) regarding the show Curious and Curiouser at the Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery (Feb. 7-May 11, 2014). As the featured artist, Norman Barney had 50 artworks on display in Curious and Curiouser. This was a group show about the art of assemblage. Displayed with Barney’s work was work by Ron Noganosh, Jorden and David Doody, Dagmara Genda, Karine Giboulo, Katherine Heard, James Kirkpatrick and Ron Stones. Curated by Lisa Daniels.
There are other, older articles about earlier art shows from the Sarnia Observer and the Petrolia Topic about all of his earlier shows.
The Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery produced a 5 minute video interview with Norman Barney which was on display at the Gallery during Curious and Curiouser. It is now in their archives. Cinematography- Jane Austin, Produced and edited by the Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery, 2014.
Introducing Norman Barney 1 minute and 44 seconds. Directed and edited by Laura Keightley.
Cinematography and Production by David Gruer. 2013
Norm Barney: Eye on the Artist 60 minute video produced and aired on television by TVCogeco 2014
Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery Lecture Series Thoughts on Curious and Curiouser Feb. 13, 2014
Gallery Lambton Introduction to Please God! Nov. 5, 2010, 8:00 p.m.
Gallery Lambton Introduction to Paper Machete June 12, 2009, 8:00 p.m.
Gallery Lambton Group Discussion- Paper Machete June 18, 2005, 7:00 p.m.
Norman’s works are in private collections in Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Georgia, Florida, California, and London, England. His work is also represented in the Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery permanent collection in Sarnia, Ontario.