Life & Work with Nora Faber Overvoorde

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nora Faber Overvoorde.  

Hi Nora, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I grew up in McBain, a very small town in Northern Michigan. My family and I lived on a self-sufficient farm raising mostly chickens and goats, tilling large gardens and fruit groves, and tapping maple trees for syrup. We were a musical, hippy family that found our people in forming “The Gofferwood Society” – a local group of musicians from the area. This group met monthly to have jam sessions initially and grew into a monthly concert platform for all to attend- eventually branching into The Harvest Festival. My parents came from the Christian Reformed Church tradition and were forced to marry after finding out they were pregnant with my brother at the age of 19. One and a half years later, they were pregnant with me.

In many ways, my upbringing was color-filled, musical, and rich. In others ways, we were poor, worked hard on our small farm, and still had holes in our shoes. One time we even had a car without a door so my brother and I would seatbelt together on the other side of the car – unfortunately this happened in the winter. This childhood nurtured my artistic mind to eventually create earthy, faith-based works.

When it came time to go to college, I was greatly encouraged to attend one school, and one school only – Calvin College (now Calvin University). At Calvin, I initially studied Fine Art. But, after borrowing large sums of money each year, started to realize I would need a solid career to pay this back. So, my focus changed to Art Education with a Psychology minor.

I found my first husband at Calvin during my final year. We were married for 18 years before with decided we were far from compatible – not connecting about religion, finances, or friends. Raising our two boys was difficult for me as we placed a high value on only having one car, and he worked a lot. I was also teaching K-6th Art 50% time, juggling sleep-deprived motherhood with sleep-deprived teaching. After our 2nd son, Eliot was born, who did not seem to need much sleep for an infant, I ended up having postpartum depression combined with feelings of abandonment and not feeling loved. This is when I started to paint and my life started to change. Painting seemed to be just the thing to help me through victim-mentality-thinking, hurt, anger, and feeling unloved. I began counseling during this time, which helped jolt me into a new chapter of getting negative emotions out onto my canvas (of Clay bord). I cried into the works, I stabbed them with sharp objects, and I stomped onto this heavy-duty Clay bord to process my feelings. I did art therapy with myself and eventually was able to do the same with students in my studio. The art that poured out of my soul during this time was sometimes tumultuous and sometimes calm. I painted what I needed to process and what I needed to look at. My first two images were of the glowing Holy Spirit which I needed by me always. When you look at my art and put it into Chronological order it reads like a book of my story. My therapeutic art begins with wild and crazy roller-coaster lines and exposed tree roots with no growth. You can see that I am trying to heal. Eventually, I start to add a horizon line with rich soil underneath for me to plant myself in order to grow. I begin to paint at a microscopic and macroscopic level including cells and nebula. I begin to try to ground myself and touch the Heavens simultaneously. I find love and get remarried. I paint an infinity symbol of us. My heart starts to feel so full! Then, I paint a triptych of our 5 kids growing in grace with little flowers popping up and out all over the work.

Knowing I am loved, my work starts to get calmer, and my trees start to have growth. I start to pray for others because now I can think about other people and global events. I pray while I paint allowing what is on my heart to flow from my heart and gut. I call this anti-intellectual painting because often I don’t have any idea what I am going to paint. However, by the end of the work, it is very clear who, what, and/or why I did the piece. I healed myself with my paintings initially and hope others can find healing through reflection on them as well. I methodically paint spaces of rest, hope, love, renewal, peace, and faith. These windows can also be a place for someone to escape into a healing space in their mind.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
My upbringing was tough. My parents divorced when I was 15. At this time, I start to draw how I feel. My story of art begins here. These drawing are painful, hollow, and disturbing. I become a believer of Jesus Christ at the age of 23 beginning my healing process because now I know I am forgiven for how I acted during this time. I end up adding many of these drawings to some transitional clay bord paintings about how my parents’ divorce affected mine.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I paint on Clay bord, creating a multilayered surface using acrylics, inks, watercolors, sand, plants, etc. When I am finished creating this textured surface, I etch into the clay, remove organic or circular windows of paint, then rub oils over top and back off like a stain. Finally, I use a detail brush to add shading, details, and clarity. My work is so unique I cannot even re-create it…I have tried! Each image is original as I strive to create windows of grace and renewal for the viewer with the goal of offering space to heal or grow while gazing through them.

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My family still managed to travel a lot even though were poor. We drove out west in our Volkswagen Bug. Glacier and Zion National Parks were my favorite parks we visited on our 2-week trip.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.norafabergallery.com
• Instagram: @Norafabergallery
• Facebook: @Norafabergallery
• Youtube: Nora Faber Gallery

Image Credits
Dianne Carroll Burdick
Nora Faber Overvoorde