Outside the Line

Steven Normand is a 72-year-old artist who resides in South Windsor, Connecticut. He graduated with a Liberal Arts degree from the University of Connecticut in 1975 and worked professionally for more than three decades in Connecticut’s Aerospace industry. Retiring in 2013, he had more time to pursue his passion for the visual arts.

Steven's interest in art began at a young age, inspired by his grandmother in Vermont. She encouraged him to experiment with still life drawing and gifted him a collection of pastels, in lieu of crayons, fostering his creativity. This early exposure was complemented by the influence of his aunt; a commercially successful oil painter and watercolorist whose landscapes and portraits deeply inspired him throughout his youth and into adulthood.

Largely self-taught, Steven began painting with acrylic in the early 1980s. After the birth of his son and daughter, he took a hiatus from painting. In 2006 he intermittently resumed creating art and since 2020, he has broadened his artistic repertoire to include graphite and colored pencils, pen and ink, and watercolors. Landscapes and cityscapes remain his favorite subjects, continuing to captivate his artistic focus.

Steven's wife, Linda, an artist herself, has been his greatest supporter. At her suggestion, they enrolled together in an art class in 2023, where they met instructor Jennifer Jeffreys. This experience marked a significant turning point in Steven’s artistic journey. Jennifer’s mentorship gave him the confidence to explore new techniques and expand his skills, particularly in graphite pencil drawing, which led to his first portrait works.

Watercolor has become Steven’s preferred medium. He finds painting with watercolors to be both therapeutic and personally rewarding. Steven’s work has been shown at the Piedmont Gallery in Somers, CT and took 2nd place at the Manchester Art Association’s show this fall.

Coming January 2026