Norm Maxwell
Norm “Nomzee” Maxwell was a visual artist whose education came via the streets (Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Los Angeles) and the Hussian School Of Art. His combination of urban upbringing and fine art training resulted stylistically in an esoteric combination of color, light, and subject matter.
Politics, mythology, popular culture, and his own biography are addressed in his fine art. Culturally, Maxwell was a quintessential urban contemporary artist, with a portfolio that included graffiti, streetwear design, club flyer and album art, graphic design, music video production, and fine art painting. He ran a studio gallery for eight years in Los Angeles, first on Sawtelle in West LA and then in the Fairfax District.
Born in Philadelphia PA in 1969, Maxwell was introduced to art by his mother at an early age. He spent hours drawing, studying the work of da Vinci, and imitating his mother’s art school assignments. As hip hop culture began to emerge in the late 70s, Maxwell became fascinated by graffiti — its bright colors, sense of rebellion, and potential path to fame. He secured his first commissioned mural at the age of 16.
Through his formal art training, Maxwell became intrigued by Baroque painting, the Surrealist movement, …
Norm “Nomzee” Maxwell was a visual artist whose education came via the streets (Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Los Angeles) and the Hussian School Of Art. His combination of urban upbringing and fine art training resulted stylistically in an esoteric combination of color, light, and subject matter.
Politics, mythology, popular culture, and his own biography are addressed in his fine art. Culturally, Maxwell was a quintessential urban contemporary artist, with a portfolio that included graffiti, streetwear design, club flyer and album art, graphic design, music video production, and fine art painting. He ran a studio gallery for eight years in Los Angeles, first on Sawtelle in West LA and then in the Fairfax District.
Born in Philadelphia PA in 1969, Maxwell was introduced to art by his mother at an early age. He spent hours drawing, studying the work of da Vinci, and imitating his mother’s art school assignments. As hip hop culture began to emerge in the late 70s, Maxwell became fascinated by graffiti — its bright colors, sense of rebellion, and potential path to fame. He secured his first commissioned mural at the age of 16.
Through his formal art training, Maxwell became intrigued by Baroque painting, the Surrealist movement, and — through his painting instructor Virgil Soma — Symbolism. Sova encouraged him to incorporate meditation into his creative process as a tool to express the subconscious. This practice, along with street art and traditional concepts, helped his signature style to emerge.
Courtesy of Umico
