Mar Norton Cruz captures deep emotion in paintings
CONTRIBUTED BY MAR NORTON CRUZ
Junior Mar Norton Cruz painted a commision for her former teacher, Paul Lauro-Priestly, depicting a moment from his wedding day.
A reflection of light, a family photo, a beautiful landscape. These are all ordinary things that wouldn’t draw a second look, but not for junior Mar Norton Cruz.
Norton Cruz is a self-taught artist who creates realistic paintings from photos and the world around her. Making art runs in Norton Cruz’s family; each of her grandparents had some sort of creative outlet. Norton Cruz captures the world’s beauty in paintings that are cherished by the many people her art has touched.
Norton Cruz said she has been doing art her entire life and has experimented with different mediums, but it was her trip to Italy and Spain last summer that inspired her to focus on painting.
“I did [a painting] of the Alhambra, which is a palace in the south of Spain. That’s the biggest one I did over the summer. It was just everything,” Norton Cruz said. “I’ve read somewhere that if it’s your creation you love it a little more than if it were someone else’s, and I think that really shows.”
Norton Cruz also does commissions. Her first commission was based off a wedding photo of Paul Lauro-Priestly, her former Graphic Arts Copy Center teacher, and his husband. Lauro-Priestly said that when he saw Norton Cruz’s art, he asked if she would consider doing a portrait for his husband’s birthday.
“[She has] incredible technique. She just really captures life and the essence of life, which is remarkable, especially for someone so young,” Lauro-Priestly said.
Lauro-Priestly said that he was moved by the painting and its ability to capture the love between his husband and himself. He said that Norton Cruz was both a great student and person.
“As a student she’s amazing, as a person she’s amazing. She’s a remarkable human being. She’s really mature beyond her years,” Lauro-Priestly said. “She is just helpful. She’s kind and she’s great with the other people that she works with.”
Norton Cruz’s most recent commission was for Deborah Donaldson, secretary of the high school’s Athletics and Wellness Education Department. The painting was a present for Donaldson’s mother and was of Donaldson’s father, who passed away several years ago, and her mother at a ceremony for a renewal of their vows. Donaldson said she could see her parents’ 50 years of love reflected in the painting.
“It was just breathtaking. It was very emotional on certain levels,” Donaldson said. “What stood out to me the most was my father’s wedding ring. That really just stuck with me because it’s a symbol of their love.”
Donaldson said that the portrait was just as special to her mother.
“Now anybody who knows my mother knows that she’ll buy something and not know where she’s gonna put it, and it takes her forever to decide,” Donaldson said. “The minute I gave [the painting] to her, she teared up and went to her bedroom, took down one of her pictures and put that painting right there next to her bed.”
Norton Cruz said she uses creativity as an outlet because it requires all of her focus.
“It’s like reading a good book. You just forget about everything else, and then you’re just stuck there in your thoughts,” Norton Cruz said.
Norton Cruz said she has only taken one art class and learning on her own has given her freedom, but has also taught her that painting takes patience and perseverance.
“You can’t get caught up in the little things when there’s so much more that needs to be done,” Norton Cruz said. “You’re not going to get places if you are frustrated and just in your head about something. It does not work like that.”
Norton Cruz said that she is inspired by life and wants her audience to see the beautiful things she witnesses.
“It’s a special feeling of seeing something and being like, ‘this needs to be shown somewhere else,’” Norton Cruz said. “People need to see this and it’s making that come true. It just really is everything.”
