Normand Blaine Saunders was born January 1, 1907 in the northernmost wilderness of Minnesota. His 35 year-old father, Clare, was a war veteran and his 18 year-old mother, Elvira, was one quarter Iroquois Indian. Norm's younger brother Duane was born in 1913.

At age three Norm's right eye was severely burned by accident with a red-hot fireplace poker, resulting in six months of complete blindness. After his sight was restored by several operations at a charity hospital in Minneapolis, Norm acquired a passionate lifelong habit of sketching his observations of life.

After graduating high school, Norm was trained in art by correspondence courses with The Federal Schools Inc. of Minneapolis. Along with his diploma in 1927, No...