Sirron Norris was born in Cleveland, Ohio.  After graduating from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Sirron traveled extensively through out the United States, eventually settling down in San Francisco in 1997.  Initially, Sirron worked as a production artist in the video game industry while he perfected his skill set as a fine artist.  In 1999, Sirron quickly gained notoriety from his first showing at The Luggage Store, a well-known leader in the “mission school “ art movement.   Shortly thereafter, Sirron received his first artist in residence from the De Young Museum.   That year, Sirron’s career propelled into the limelight and today is known as one of San Francisco’s most notable artists.

Sirron was the recipient of the prestigious Wattis Artist in Residence from the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in 2002.  It was during that residency that he coined the term “Cartoon Literalism” as a description of his work.  The term emphasizes the use of cartoons as a vehicle to express life.  Evidence of his Cartoon Literalism concept can be found in any one of fifteen murals, which Sirron created throughout San Francisco.  His most notable mural, “Victorion:  El Defensor de la Mission” is located in the historic “Balmy Alley” and is featured in several magazines, books and advertisements such as “Lonely Planet Travel Guide,” “ComputerArts Magazine” and “Latino Future Magazine.”  The mural speaks to the subject of gentrification in the mission district of San Francisco, supporting the persistence of Latino business owners and residents.  The mural also speaks to the importance of the preservation of original San Francisco Victorian homes through a ten-foot robot, suitably named, “Victorion.”  Sirron’s “Victorion” t-shirts and sweatshirts can be found at any of ten bay area galleries and retail stores, among other designs in his clothing line.

From 2007-2010, Sirron worked for a project funded by the National Science Foundation through a local, non-profit organization called the Bay Area Video Coalition.  In this capacity, Sirron developed the curriculum and served as the instructor of the 3D Animation and Gaming Technology course where he taught low-income, underrepresented San Francisco youth.  This sparked Sirron’s love for teaching. 

Norris’s newest endeavor is his art studio & gallery (opened February 2010), located in San Francisco’s Mission district, where he is able to further pursue his passion for teaching.  Norris aims to offer art for the family and hopes to serve as an inspiration to up-and-coming artists.  Children and adults can watch Norris paint live in his studio and right next door they may purchase reasonably priced finished items in his gallery at 1406B Valencia St. The Sirron Norris Studio & Gallery is a place where individuals can participate by connecting to their own creative process or simply watch the creative process of the artist.  He offers full service cartooning classes and summer camps for youth.  Through his new studio & gallery, Norris’s vision is to make fine art accessible to all.

Meanwhile, Sirron’s notoriety as an artist continues to develop admirably beyond the city of San Francisco.  In 2011, Sirron’s work was featured in the animated pilot for FOX network’s show Bob’s Burgers, which was created by famed writer/director Loren Bouchard.  That same year, Sirron was also featured on national television and radio on PBS Newshour with Jim Lehrer and on Concrete Canvas in the UK, both of which outlined his prosperous career as an artist.  Sirron currently works in the Mission district and lives in the Glen Park district of San Francisco, California.