Sassona Norton MRSS

Sassona Norton immigrated to the US from Israel in 1974, and enrolled in the Art Students League, NY under a merit scholarship. Later, she was represented by Sutton Gallery, NY, published art critique, participated in traveling shows, and had her paintings included in prestigious art books.

In 1999, after involvement in architectural projects, Norton shifted to sculpting.  In 2001, she won the Huntington medal in the National Arts Club, NY. In 2003 she was commissioned to sculpt the largest 9/11 memorial in Pennsylvania, unveiled in 2005.  A video about the memorial was shown at the International Art Fair in Stockholm.

In 2006, Norton had a major show at the Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ. In 2007 the Morris Museum showed “Sculpture by Sassona Norton and from The Permanent Collection”. In 2009 Norton curated “Fresh Perspectives” at the museum, and led “Great Conversations” at the Arts Council, NJ. During 2010-2011 Norton showed on Governor-Island, NY, the Broadway Gallery NY, and at the Henry Buhl sculpture-collection at the Palm-Beach Photography-Museum. In 2011-2012 Norton had a show at Tambaran Gallery NY, was commissioned in Sweden for anti-doping monument for the Olympics, and her work was chosen by Aesthetica-UK for “The-Best-International-Creative-Works for 2012”. In 2013 Norton showed on Governor-Island, NY, and donated her sculpture to the Chamber-Music-Society of Lincoln-Center.

In 2016 Norton was invited to show her sculpture, An Hour Before Dawn, at the Workhouse Arts Center, AKA The Prison Museum, in Lorton, Virginia. The sculpture was chosen as an icon for the Suffragists' Centennial to commemorate their imprisonment and torture during the Night of Terror at the former Lorton Reformatory.

In 2017 Norton accepted the invitation to serve as a Trustee on the Board of the Morris Museum in Morristown NJ.

In 2019, Norton's sculpture “An Hour Before Dawn”, purchased by Craig Ponzio of Colorado in 2006, was selected as the face of the upcoming show of his signature collection at the Denver Botanic Gardens in Denver, Colorado. In addition to Sassona Norton, the exhibition included sculptures by Auguste Rodin, Jacques Lipchitz, Beverly Pepper, Rufino Tamayo, Manolo Valdés and Eric Fischl. The show, "Human | Nature: Figures from the Craig Ponzio Sculpture Collection", ran from April 19 to September 15, 2019.

Sculpting the monument of anti-doping in sport, which had been renamed Et Purus, started in 2019. Et Purus One, the first in the edition of twenty, was designated for Monaco, and it was completed in the summer of 2021. It was installed in Monte Carlo on Jeteé Lucciana, which juts into the Mediterranean and borders the famous Monaco Yacht Harbor. The unveiling was hosted by Albert II, Prince of Monaco and in the presence of international sports dignitaries and the media. Plans are made to install Et Purus No. 2 in Stockholm in 2024.

Memberships include International Sculpture Center, National Sculpture Society, Washington Sculptors Group, Sculptors’ Guild, and Royal British Society of Sculptors Among others, Norton’s work is included in the collections of Henry Buhl, NY, Craig Ponzio, “Art Investments”, Colorado, Ambassador Swaenee Hunt, Massachusetts, and the Morris Museum, NJ.