Prescott, Arizona (Nov. 14, 2025) – Yavapai College Visual Arts instructor Benjamin Norton started his career in commercial art, managing a gallery for a nationally-exhibited artist and installing and exhibiting art for five years across the Midwest after obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from the University of Dayton in Ohio.
After receiving a Master of Fine Arts in Art at the University of Cincinnati’s School of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, he and his wife moved to Sedona. Norton was hired as an adjunct instructor at Yavapai College in 2015 and started teaching courses in January the following year.
“I had never had any experience with community colleges before,” said Norton. “I’d attended traditional universities for all my education and didn’t really know what to expect. When I started teaching, the diversity of our students across multiple demographics was instantly striking. But what was more striking was how well it worked.”
Norton said that over the past ten years that he’s worked at Yavapai College, his goal has been to grow the visibility and strength of the 2D art programs on Verde Valley campus in Clarkdale.
“When I started teaching here in 2016, we lacked consistency in student base and course offerings in that area,” Norton said. “I’ve worked to grow a program where students can expect excellent instruction and a supportive classroom community. I think we’ve been very successful there: our classes almost always fill to capacity, and our students consistently produce exceptional work.”
Hired as a full-time Associate Professor in August, his role has somewhat shifted. “Now that I serve both campuses, I’m pushing my students to explore more of what the school offers on both sides of the mountain and online beyond where they’d typically venture.”
Norton shared a notion that many of us likely share: that we live in overwhelming times. He said that between social media and the rapid advance of technology—especially AI—it can be difficult to sustain a creative practice that feels meaningful.
“Creative expression is essential to being human,” he said. “When we let external forces dictate our attention, we lose a sense of purpose. Making art grounds us, connects us to our communities, and reminds us of our capacity to imagine and build a better future.”
As far as career paths go, Norton says that people experienced in the visual arts can find work in many creative and professional settings. Some become exhibiting artists, illustrators, or designers, while others pursue careers in education, museums, galleries, or art therapy. There are also roles in digital media, community arts programming, curatorial work, and arts administration.
“We have a unique community here, one where students benefit from being exposed to groups unlike themselves in every class,” said Norton. “Our students are here primarily because they care about learning, not because their parents told them they must go out and get a degree, so they’re always willing to put forth a high degree of effort.”
Why should students plot an academic course in the arts? For Norton, the answer is both complex and forthright. “Art develops sensitivity, critical thinking, and self-expression,” said Norton.
“It allows people to slow down, observe the world more deeply, and connect ideas, emotions, and experiences in ways that expand understanding. Teaching art connects me to the excitement of discovery, while making art provides reflection and balance. It’s a continual conversation between observation, emotion, and imagination—one that renews my sense of purpose each day.”
Yavapai College operates seven campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County and offers over 100 degrees and certificates, four baccalaureate degrees, student and community services, and cultural events and activities. To learn more about Yavapai College, visit www.yc.edu.
