About Emile Norman Arts

Emile Norman Arts shines a light on the cultural influence of Big Sur through the lens of American artist Emile Norman’s work and philosophy. We preserve Emile Norman's Big Sur handcrafted mid-century home, historical archive, and the largest collection of his artworks. We share Emile's legacy in collaboration with our public partners. We work to preserve, document, and learn from his inventive way of life on this rugged yet fragile stretch of coast at the very edge of the continent. We invite artists, musicians, and writers to reside with Emile’s home, and—like the baroque pipe organ drawing air from the surroundings up through the bellows at its center—to breathe, create, and express through transformative connection with the place and its elements.

About Emile

Emile Norman dared to live a life of his own imagining. He trusted the disciplined practice of daily making—often with materials derived from his immediate surroundings—to express himself, provide for his family, cultivate community, and discover new ideas. In studying and appreciating Emile’s life and work, we find a template for forging more authentic and resourceful ways of being.