Norma Medley

Norma Medley is a South Florida–based oil painter whose work draws from the complexity, joy, softness, and comfort of being a Black woman. Raised in Staten Island, New York, and a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, She paints using soft palettes, flowing forms, and delicate movement that echo through her work, creating paintings that feel both timeless, intimate and sometimes a bit whimsical.

Her figurative pieces feature Black women but where they are often portrayed as strong, unbreakable, and unyielding, Medley shifts the focus to softness, intimacy, and joy. Many of her figurative works may appear black and white or monocolor at first glance, yet subtle currents of color emerge through quiet transitions and the occasional bold, expressive brushwork.

BFA, Rhode Island School of Design

Medley has exhibited at Eye Gallery, Helen M. Salzberg Gallery, and Hatch 1121 Gallery, with My Alice and her family mac and cheese recipe featured in the upcoming Artful Cooking Cookbook.