The Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach has opened a small exhibition titled "Artists at Work," curated by first-time curator Sarah Bass, a curatorial research associate at the museum. The show features paintings, photographs, and sculptures that focus on the creative process rather than finished works, including pieces by Charles Griffin Farr, Hiram Williams, Ben Benn, Bay Williams, Robert Bailey, and William Zorach. Highlights include a self-portrait by Farr, Williams's seemingly incomplete "Big Studio Table," and Zorach's terra-cotta sketch for "Youth" displayed alongside the final marble sculpture. Photographs of artists like Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, and Fernand Léger in their studios further emphasize the theme of the artist at work.
This exhibition matters because it shifts the visitor's focus from the final artwork to the human process behind it, offering a rare glimpse into the messy, thoughtful, and often unseen labor of making art. As Bass's first fully independent curatorial project, it also highlights the museum's investment in nurturing emerging curatorial talent. By juxtaposing preparatory sketches, studio photographs, and finished pieces, the show encourages deeper engagement with the artist's personality and decision-making, making it a meaningful addition to the Norton's programming.