Richard Norton Gallery

Richard Norton Gallery feels more like your philosophy professor’s office than a commercial gallery.

With armchairs and couches occupying the center of the room, the art on the walls completes the image of a well-decorated home. I actually had to ask if the paintings around us were part of a current show, or if it was permanent decor. Turns out, it’s a little bit of both. 

As the longest-standing tenant of Chicago’s iconic Merchandise Mart, Richard Norton Gallery is as dependable as its cozy leather couch. But don’t get too comfortable – the Merchandise Mart elevator system is a cruel and unusual maze. It’s a good thing their incredible gallery intern was kind enough to personally escort me to their space, or I may never have experienced the coziness within. 

Parshaav Shah, Composition #15 (below)

Images courtesy of Richard Norton Gallery

Richard Koppe, Drawing #123 (above)

About the art/ists

Most of the artwork Richard Norton Gallery represents comes from late-career painters or artists’ estates. Their roster of artists is longggg, like so long that if I typed all of their names I’d get carpal tunnel. Fortunately, I don’t have to – you can go see their work for yourself. The gallery’s storage space is open to visitors, and they’ll help you sort through the stacks of meticulously organized paintings to your heart's delight.

Inside, you’ll find artists like Midwest painters Francis Chapin and William Buxton, abstract illustrator Richard Koppe, and contemporary artist Paarshav Shah, a current student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. It doesn’t get more current than that!

Chapin and Buxton, while differing in their subject matter of choice, are both excellent representations of their respective disciplines. Chapin’s messy interlocking brushstrokes and luminous pastel colors make light the priority of the image — SO impressionistic! Buxton has a bit of a Picasso flow — cubist energy with an abstract expressionist kick. Coincidentally (or maybe intentionally), Richard Norton does have a Picasso or two on their hands. Ever wanted to see his work up close? Here’s your chance!

Koppe’s drawings are a little bit architectural — lots of linework, but still very spatial (by that I mean I feel like I could reach inside the image). If someone with a soldering iron and a dream ever ripped off his designs, they’d make cool earrings. Shah also rocks a pen and paper, making geometric designs that reflect his architecture education — and his extremely steady hand.

Francis Chapin, Untitled (Summer Harbor) (right)

William Buxton, Untitled (Abstraction) (left)

Images courtesy of Richard Norton Gallery

It’s not like other galleries

Richard Norton Gallery keeps it real. While they are self-proclaimed “omnivores,” accepting work from many different art movements and time periods, they ensure that each work speaks to the time in which it was created. They love artworks that authentically represent a movement – with a special affinity for impressionist and modern artists from the Midwest.

There is a definite historical feel to the gallery, which is no mistake. The gallery believes that part of its purpose is to preserve history by bringing new life to historic paintings, sparking new interest in late-career artists, and continuing artists’ legacies through their estates. Gallery owner Richard Norton’s grandfather also had a passion for history, running an antiques business that has a palpable presence in the gallery – some of Norton’s grandfather’s prized artifacts hang on the walls alongside the artwork.

Their love for history and art history extends into a love for art history education. They see the art business as an opportunity to research artists and their work, bringing under-appreciated artists into the limelight. They also offer year-round internship programs (get after it, art students!), which received high praise from the intern who helped me find the gallery.

The gallerists at Richard Norton Gallery are excited to talk about art. They told me they want art to be “friendly, not scary.” After walking me through all of the art in their gallery space, they showed me to the back storage space, where they hand-picked artists they thought I’d like based on our brief conversation. I got to see some great art, and discover some new artists from my own hometown!

What is impressionistic work? How is that different from impressionism?

It’s sort of like when someone says, “That’s prosecco, not champagne! It’s technically not champagne if it’s not from the Champagne region of France.”

Impressionistic work has features of impressionism but doesn’t get the full title because it wasn’t executed during the 19th century Impressionist period, or doesn’t adhere to all of impressionism’s rules.

Basically, the impressionists were a French clique of outdoor painters who loved landscape, light, and visible brushstrokes. There’s more to it than that (so don’t show this to your art history professor), but basically, impressionistic works are usually more recent and less adherent to the French legends’ (Monet, Renoir, etc.) standard.

Inside the walls

Richard Norton Gallery’s Location, on the 14th floor of the Merchandise Mart, is as iconic as it is hard to find. Here are my tips: Read the signs next to each elevator bay – they say which elevators go to which floors. Ask one of the security guards on the first floor. If all else fails, call the gallery and they’ll help you. You’ll find it, I promise. If I can do it you can do it.

You can expect a warm reception and hands-on help at Richard Norton Gallery. They make a point of working with clients to find the best possible works for their space and their preferences – and even if you’re not a potential buyer (my grocery budget is prohibitive of art purchases) they’ll give you the red-carpet treatment. They even collect vintage frames and custom-fit them to their paintings, curating the frame to compliment the work and the space it is intended for. It is these personal touches that set their business apart.

Richard Norton Gallery hosts monthly shows – which often take place online, with the opportunity to see any works of interest in their physical gallery upon request. With a healthy mix of historic artists and up-and-comers, there is always interesting artwork to cozy up with at Richard Norton Gallery.

What about cubism and abstract expressionism?

The cubist techniques I’m referencing here are the use of black lines to outline different forms, and the disjointed, geometric shapes used to construct an image — a couple of features associated with classic cubism.

Cubism is also associated with flat, perspective-less images and the ability to show multiple points of view at once (think a side profile of the nose and a view of both eyes).

As for abstract expressionism – we know what abstraction is (a broad term for non-representational imagery, if you need a refresher). Expressionism is characterized by sweeping brushstrokes, use of color, and relationship to the emotions of the artist. It doesn’t necessarily have to be abstract and can relate more to color and non-precise brushwork than to gesture and abstraction. Abstract expressionism, however, does away with the representational image and focuses on the use of movement, texture, and color.

Richard Norton Gallery Interior

Images courtesy of Richard Norton Gallery

Visit Richard Norton Gallery

 

222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza Suite 14-119, Chicago, IL 60654

Hours
Monday-Friday
9 am–5 pm

How to get there:

Train

Take the Red Line to Grand for a 13-minute walk, or the Brown Line to Merchandise Mart for a 3-minute walk.