Born in 1924 in New York, New York, Norman “Norm” Schulman was a ceramic artist and beloved educator. Schulman’s first interest was music, which he pursued throughout his childhood and for several years after returning from service in the Army during World War II (1943 – 46). Doubting his prospects as a professional musician, Schulman enrolled at the Parsons School of Design, where he studied interior architecture and design (BA, 1950) while also completing a companion degree from New York University (BS, 1951). Clay became his calling only after he was introduced to the material in an elective art class. Schulman kept up his pottery practice as a hobby while working at an aeronautics manufacturing company. Sick of his job in industry, he decided to go back to school for ceramics. Upon the recommendation of Ruth Canfield, his mentor at NYU, Schulman enrolled in the ceramics MFA program at Alfred University and graduated in 1958. Shortly after, he accepted a teaching position at the Toledo Museum School of Art in Ohio. Schulman spent seven years in this position before moving to the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, where he was a professor and head of the ceramics and glass department from 1965 to 1976. After a brief stint as head of ceramics at Ohio State University, Schulman settled permanently in Penland, North Carolina. A regular instructor and former trustee, Schulman had a long relationship with Penland School of Crafts and lectured at numerous other educational venues around the country. Schulman created both functional and sculptural ceramic works throughout his career, often incorporating colorful and graphic surface designs. His work has been exhibited widely and is represented in museum collections, including the Museum of Arts and Design in New York and the Mint Museum in North Carolina. He was the first person to be named a Penland School of Crafts Outstanding Artist Educator in 2007 and received the North Carolina Living Treasure award in 2009. Norm Schulman was elected a Fellow of the American Craft Council in 2001. He died in 2014 at the age of 89.