Norman Rockwell

The North Carolina Museum of Art has a Norman Rockwell exhibit (until 1-31-11) and if you haven't seen it, I recommend you go. I have a magazine of Rockwell art which was published in the late 70's, and I've shown some of these before, and if you search for 'Norman Rockwell' on my blog, you'll find 10 links.   Here are three more examples...

"Norman Rockwell encompassed youth and age, innocence and wisdom, within the horizons of his art. His place was secure in his time: While values hold, he will belong to the future."

"For the most part, Rockwell left battlefield and bombs to other artists; his war was the war at home, and his most eloquent wartime covers are the ones with 'homecoming' as their these. For this serene evocation of the joys of small-town summer his model was a sailor in training at Williams College. The house in the background is [in Arlington, VA]. The shoes are Rockwell's, and the dog is his son Tommy's.

Norman Rockwell

"The mood of the nation at war's end was perfectly expressed in this painting chosen as the official poster for the government's eighth war bond drive. Longtime Saturday Evening Post editor Ben Hibbs called it "the greatest magazine cover ever published." May 26, 1945. This is the caption for this painting, found in Norman Rockwell's Memory Album.

When I first looked at this painting, I was struck by his masterful use of color and how it draws your eye throughout the painting. Notice the bright white elements. Starting with the girl on the far left; her blouse and socks. Next is the boy jumping off the stairs and then follow the white up through the three people on the stairs, over to the shirt on the clothesline, up to the boy sitting in the tree and finally, to the collar on the dress of the woman in the window. It is almost the same with the elements of green in the painting. See how balanced it is; how it pulls your attention to every corner of the action.

I was only 4 years old when this appeared on the cover of the Post. I don't know how it was back then, but it is my fervent wish that we can see this scene happening all over the country as soon as possible. Especially this week.

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The PINK wedding took a long time yesterday. It was in Henderson, NC, about 60 miles north of Raleigh. We left here at 2:00pm and we didn't get back to the shop until 7:30pm. As you might imagine, I was dog tired. I'll load the photos later and post them soon.

Norman Rockwell ~ 9

Click to enlarge!

Do you remember when and where you got your marriage license? We got ours in a building in downtown Norfolk, VA, which is now a memorial to General MacArthur, I think. I wonder if the clerk who served us had the same patient, but bemused (maybe bored) look on his face? Somehow, I doubt it. I don't remember what I wore that day; I worked in a hospital at the time, so it might have been my white uniform. I know I didn't wear 3" heels that day!

The bride-to-be looks intent on filling out the forms just so. If you make a mistake on the application, the wedding might be null and void, right? I'll bet that some of you have wished that before.....LOL. Mr. kenju always says that he won't ever renew his vows, just in case they weren't valid the first time. You might imagine my reaction to that....and you'd probably be right. It involves a fair amount of eye-rolling and a few hand signals.

One of the things I like most about Norman Rockwell's paintings is his attention to detail; the rose and tree branch outside the window, the cracked and peeling plaster, the pot-bellied stove. Notice the brass spittoon. It doesn't appear to bother the clerk, but if I worked there, the floors would be cleaner. Even the kitty cat seems disgusted by the mess.

Norman Rockwell 8 ~ The Lure of the Sea

Click to enlarge.
The old salt and the boy gaze out into the past for one and the future for the other, their faithful dog beside them. As the caption says, " Norman Rockwell encompassed youth and age, innocence and wisdom, within the horizons of his art. His place was secure in his time: While values hold, he will belong to the future."

This painting reminds me of mr. kenju and our grandsons, for no one loves the ocean better than they. In fact, we can all sit by the seashore and gaze out into the waves for hours on end, be they calm or crashing. Norman Rockwell was able, more than almost any other American artist, to capture life as we know it.

Norman Rockwell 7

Somehow, Dolores and Eddie don't look much like a gaiety dance team in this pic, do they? I'm thinking that they are tired from all their days on the road; just like I am tired from all my days of decorating last week. Fourty-two hours in eight days, all of it on my feet. It's no wonder that I spent all day today in my nightgown and robe, and snoozed at every opportunity.

I have a black trunk almost exactly like this green one, but mine doesn't have writing on it (luckily). I use mine as a coffee table in my den, and sometimes I put it at the foot of the Victorian bed in the guest room. It is perfect for holding a suitcase. I have another one that was also my mom's, but it has a roll or barrel top. Trunks like that aren't so versatile. I'd like to take the top off it and use it as a coffee table too - but what would I use for a top? Maybe a sheet of glass? Or plywood, plainted to match? what do you think?

Norman Rockwell 6

Rockwell and the Scouts go back a long way. In 1912, when he was 18, Rockwell went to see the editor of Boy's Life, having learned that the Boy Scouts were about to publish a magazine by that name. He wanted to become one of the first illustrators. After making 3-4 paintings for them, the art editor accepted two and asked Rockwell to make 3 more covers, and gave him a $75 check. That must have been a small fortune in 1912, especially for a teenager!

In 1916, one of his paintings was accepted by the Saturday Evening Post, and he left Boy's Life. But in 1925, the Scout's published a calendar with one of Rockwell's earlier paintings on it - and it was in instant success. His last calendar painting came in 1976, when he was 80.

Note: We decorated Sullivan's Restaurant today and then we started at the Governor's Mansion. I was surprised to see the governor walk into the ballroom dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans. As he extended his hand, I shook it and said ...."Governor, it is very surprising to see you in jeans and sweats!" He replied that he was going to put on his "governor suit" in a few minutes. I liked seeing him in regular clothes, as it proves he is a "regular" person. I found out that he is a woodworker in his spare time, and as such, he will appear on "The Woodwright's Shop" on PBS sometime in the near future. He has made three tables, one of which is a beautiful trestle table with a gorgeous finish. I don't know what kind of wood he used, but it is lovely.

Norman Rockwell 4

Do you remember when your parent(s) told you about the Facts of Life? Did you have that same horrified look of skepticism on your face? That boy was thinking...."You put what....where? No way! EW! You can't be serious!"

When my son was 8-9, he came home from school one day with some tidbits of mis-information about sex, so I decided it was time to have "the talk." Our doctor had given me a booklet for the kids to read and discuss, so I handed it to my son and told him to read it and then we would discuss the information and I'd answer his questions.

I was a little put out to be doing "the talk" with my son, thinking it was a task that mr. kenju should tackle. Mr. kenju was not up to it (red-faced at the prospect) so I took it on. After my son read the book, he came to me with a sheepish look on his face, and I asked if he had any questions for me. He said, "When do you do it?" I replied...."What do you mean 'When do you do it?' and he said "Don't you have to make an appointment?" I was puzzled at the question, and said "Why would we have to make an appointment?" He said...."It sounds like something you'd have to do at the doctor's office."

I had to bite my lip in order not to laugh. The poor little guy had the idea you'd have to do that under a doctor's supervision, lest you do it wrong!

What do you remember thinking when you first heard about the birds and the bees?

Norman Rockwell 3

Don't you just love that look of smug satisfaction on her face? She doesn't care one whit how much trouble she is in because the fight was worth every minute of whatever punishment she gets! See how her pride shines out of her face? She will remember this moment through all her life!

I wonder what the principal said to her mother, who doesn't look too happy at being called to the school because of a scrappy, tomboyish daughter. There is something else on the mother's face though; it is concern. She is worried that her daughter's black eye may be worse than it appears. Still, I'll bet that kid got a spanking when she got home - or maybe a "switching" with a hickory branch.

Except for the fact that I was not a fighter (I ran from the merest possibility of conflict), I could have posed for that painting. I wore my dark hair in braids and I had many a plaid, pleated skirt for school. I even wore similar shoes until I was about nine. It is funny how an illustration like this can prod you to remember things from your own childhood. What does it evoke from your memory?

Note: scroll down to the "caption this" post for the original caption.

Norman Rockwell 2

Rockwell's rendition of the old-time family doctor, usually a gentle man who was kind and had all the time in the world for every member of the family - even the dolls.

I searched for quotes about old-fashioned doctors, but I didn't get very far down the list until I found this, with an interesting illustration! One can only hope that the doc in the ad will give the same service as the doc in the picture.

My every-four-month doctor's appointment fell yesterday. All is well, it seems. My cholesterol is 169 now, since I've been on medication for it. Yay!

My vitamin D levels are too low, and have been for a while, even though I have been taking 1000 USP units of it for over 4 months. I was told to get in the sun at midday for at least 20 minutes, and DON'T wear sunscreen. What will happen if I do that? Can I trust my skin not to turn cancerous if I do what it takes to up my vitamin D levels? It's a puzzle. My doctor said that scientists have now found that vitamin D is very instrumental in preventing some forms of cancer and keeping the immune system healthy. When I got home from the doc's office, I read the new issue of Scientific American and there is a whole article about vitamin D and the benefits of it. A word to the wise.....

Norman Rockwell

While cleaning off some bookshelves today, I found a booklet I had not seen in ages. It is a compilation of the art of Norman Rockwell found in The Saturday Evening Post Magazines of the 30's-40's and 50's. The foreward says:

"This album would not have been possible without the cooperation and generosity of many great corporations for whom Norman Rockwell painted. He charmed and impressed the executives of the nation's most prestigious boardrooms, and came away with enviable assignments as their illustrator. Astutely, he saw this as an important way to bring his art to the masses."

Anyone who grew up in the 30's to the 50's knows who Rockwell was.His art graced the pages of not only the Post, but many periodicals. According to this article:

"Other artists have covered the same ground, but nobody else in American illustration - or in American art - has held the mirror of the people's yearnings up to their accomplishments so closely as Norman Rockwell."

Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing some of his pieces with you. I was all set to start with another, but after reading Fran's post at Ronni's Elder Storytelling Place today, I knew I had to start with this one, a quintessential look at young love in the 50's. Go and read Fran's story and see if you don't agree!