Norman began her photography career by volunteering to do public relations photography/writing for Our Lady of Grace School in Edina, where her sons were students. When the OLG community saw her photography, individuals began asking if she did portraits. She began taking pictures for private clients and attending photography seminars. Since then, Norman has run a residential studio for over twenty years. Her career expanded into many areas including legal/evidence photography, photo illustration for newspaper and magazine articles and commercial/advertising photography. 

As her photography progressed, she started doing fine art photography including hand coloring & abstract painting. This led to a growing desire to paint on blank canvas instead of an existing photo. She trained at the Atelier in drawing and painting for six years.

Norman took art courses in junior high and high school. Her parents had she and her three siblings train in piano and signed her up for various art courses at the Walker Art Center and semi-private painting lessons at a studio in Edina.

Norman's two brothers are musicians--her younger brother is also an artist/graphic designer. Her sister is a pathologist and has interest in continuing piano study. Her father was a published short story (fiction) and essay writer. 

Norman says: "One of my fondest childhood memories was when dad would pack the car with canvas boards, brushes and paints and take the four of us out to the country to paint a landscape, usually a farm scene. He would set up easels for us and away we would go! The five of us would paint the same scene and come up with very different results. I had a shining moment during one of those sessions.
As a child I felt I could never do anything as well as my older brother. When we were out painting one afternoon, he kept looking back-and-forth at my half-done painting and his. He finally asked me if I would trade paintings with him. I glowed!"