Odyssey Medal

Ferris Wendel Norton III ’73 and Elizabeth Ragsdale Norton ’75

Ferris and Elizabeth Norton  - 20151022 - 09423798Wen ’73 and Elizabeth Norton ’75 received the Hendrix Odyssey Medal for Special Projects. The couple co-founded Norton Arts, Inc., practicing fine art conservation. After Hendrix, the Nortons made their home in the Arkansas Ozark Mountains, where they raised their daughter, Vanessa, Hendrix Class of 2002. In 1989, the Nortons moved to New York City, where Elizabeth, a music major, became an administrator in a private Manhattan school and also sang as a member of the Oratorio Society of New York. Five years later, they returned to Arkansas and established their fine arts conservation company, while retaining professional and artistic ties to New York City.

Elizabeth has served as board member for the Arkansas Education Association and the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas (now Preserve Arkansas) as well as Commissioner for Historic Arkansas Museum. Wen studied marble sculpting at the Art Students League in New York with Phillip Pavia, the last of the artists of the New York School. As a League Life Member, Wen works at the historic midtown facility, when in town. He also paints and sculpts at Cave Creek Studio and Lab on the May Family Homestead by the Buffalo National River in Arkansas Ozarks Mountains.