Born in Price, Utah and raised in Carlsbad, New Mexico, Moab, Utah and Lyman, Wyoming, Jim C. Norton has spent most of his life in the western United States. His experiences there have given him a deep and abiding love for the West and its culture, from the ranch hand pitching hay to the pack trips by horseback deep into the many mountain ranges of the area.

Jim’s education and experience in the field of art began as a youngster watching his grandfather, Earl Faucett, paint in his basement studio. He continued his education more formally at Western Wyoming College, Brigham Young University, and through workshops taught by many different artists. He has also continued his informal education by traveling to Russia and the magnificent museums there, Canada, Australia, and throughout the United States—wherever there are opportunities for furthering his learning experience.

Jim was invited to become a member of the Cowboy Artists of America in 1989. He has won many awards for his paintings at the Cowboy Artists of America show held at the Phoenix Art Museum, including the Kieckhefer Award for Best of Show in 2001 for the painting “The First Shot.”