NRM_ChristmasHomecoming2.jpg

An Afternoon with Rockwell’s Models

Published on 16 August 2010 by DHeck in Adult Programs

0

Photo reference for Norman Rockwell's "The Runaway."

Image credit: Reference photo for Norman Rockwell's "The Runaway," 1958. Photographer unidentified. Licensed by Norman Rockwell Licensing, Niles, IL. From the permanent collection of Norman Rockwell Museum.

Saturday, September 18, 12 to 4 p.m.


Meet Dick Clemens and Eddie Locke (The Runaway), and other original Rockwell models who will share stories about their experience posing for America’s favorite illustrator. Special gallery talks and print signings will be offered, and visitors will have the opportunity to try their own hand posing in a special Runaway-inspired lunch counter. This afternoon event will offer rare, first-hand perspectives on Norman Rockwell’s creative process. Free with Museum admission.

Continue Reading

Norman Rockwell Museum Presents An Afternoon with Rockwell’s Models

Published on 24 July 2010 by DHeck in Press Release - Current

0
 

Reference photo for Norman Rockwell's "The Optician"
Reference photo for Norman Rockwell’s “The Optician.” Licensed by Norman Rockwell Licensing, Niles, IL. From the permanent collection of Norman Rockwell Museum.
Norman Rockwell Museum will present an afternoon with original Norman Rockwell models on Saturday, September, 18, from 12 to 4 p.m. Meet Dick Clemens and Eddie Locke, who posed for Rockwell’s classic 1958 painting The Runaway, and other fellow models who will share their stories about working for America’s favorite illustrator. The afternoon will include special gallery talks, as well as a print signing. Visitors will also have the opportunity to try their own hand at posing for the picture, in a special Runaway-inspired lunch counter created by Lt. Thomas McNulty. The afternoon is free with regular Museum admission.  

Currently on view:
Norman Rockwell’s 323 Saturday Evening Post Covers

For nearly fifty years, millions of Americans brought Norman Rockwell’s art into their homes, enjoying the artist’s Saturday Evening Post covers while seated in their favorite chairs, surrounded by their belongings in the company of their families. This intimate connection with Rockwell’s art made his images a part of the fabric of American lives. This comprehensive exhibition of original Saturday Evening Post cover tear sheets features each of Norman Rockwell’s illustrations for the publication, created between 1916 and 1963.

Continue Reading

Norman Rockwell Museum To Present Retrospective Exhibition of Caldecott Medal-Winning Illustrator’s 50-Year Career

Published on 23 July 2010 by DHeck in Press Release - Current

0

Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney on view November 13, 2010 through May 31, 2011

Artist Jerry Pinkney in his studio, 2008. Photo by Thomas Kristich. All rights reserved.

Following the recent honor of receiving the 2010 Caldecott Medal for his children’s picturebook The Lion and the Mouse, artist Jerry Pinkney will be further recognized this fall with the first major overview of his extraordinary and influential career, which spans 50 years; Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney will be on view at Norman Rockwell Museum from November 13, 2010, through May 31, 2011.

“This groundbreaking exhibition examines how one very talented artist managed to overcome obstacles and create powerful stories that have literally become the country’s collective memory,” says Norman Rockwell Museum Deputy Director Stephanie Plunkett, who co-curated the exhibition. “Jerry Pinkney is the master of the American picturebook,” says Rockwell Center for American Visual Studies curator Dr. Joyce K. Schiller. “He has managed to bring historical events to life through the magic of his beautiful and sometimes fanciful imagery.”

Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney presents an overview of the artist’s long and varied career as a designer and illustrator. The exhibition touches on such deeply felt personal and cultural themes as the African-American experience; the wonders of classic literature; and the wisdom in well-loved folk tales. A belief in the ability of images to speak about and to humanity is at the artist’s core, and the works featured in the exhibition celebrate both small yet extraordinary moments, as well as significant historical events, reflecting the transformative power of visual storytelling in our lives.

More than 140 of Mr. Pinkney’s luminous watercolors illustrations will be on full display, and include work from such classic picture books as A Patchwork Quilt (1985), Home Place (1990), John Henry (1994), Minty: A Story of a Young Harriet Tubman (1996), Black Cowboy, Wild Horses (1998), The Little Match Girl (1999), Uncle Remus: The Complete Tales (1999), The Old African (2005), The Lion and the Mouse (2009), and Sweethearts of Rhythm (2009). Illustrated commissions for such clients as music artists, National Geographic, and The African Burial Ground Interpretive Center will also be on view, as well as a collection of the artist’s supplies, personal photos, book awards, and video and interactive displays, which further highlight the artist’s career and inspirations.

“I feel I’ve been helping to establish a new cultural understanding,” says Pinkney. “As I learn about a new subject, I in turn open the door for other to also learn.”

About Jerry Pinkney

A native of Philadelphia, Jerry Pinkney studied at the Philadelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts) where, in 1992 he received the Alumni Award.  He has been illustrating children’s books since 1964, and has produced illustrations for over one hundred titles. He has been the recipient of a Caldecott Medal for the recent book The Lion & The Mouse, as well as five Caldecott Honor Medals, five Coretta Scott King Awards, four Coretta Scott King Honor Awards, and many other accolades. His books have been translated into 11 languages, and published in 14 different countries. In 2003, he received the Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. Also, Pinkney was a United States nominee for the 1997 Hans Christian Andersen Illustration Medal.  He was awarded four gold medals, four silver medals, the Hamilton King Award, four New York Times Best Illustrated Book awards, and in 2006 the Original Art’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Illustrators, New York, New York.

In addition to his work in children’s books, the artist has illustrated for a wide variety of clients, including the United States Postal Service, National Park Service, and National Geographic. Mr. Pinkney was appointed to serve on the United States Postal Services Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (1982-1992), and in 2001 was invited by First Lady Laura Bush to illustrate and design the White House Christmas Program.  He has held professorships teaching art at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York; the University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware; and the University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York. In 2003, Pinkney was appointed to the National Council of the Arts (2003-2009). His art can be found in the permanent collections at the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, the Delaware Art Museum and the Brandywine River Art Museum. A past trustee for the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art and the Katonah Museum of Art, the artist has had over 30 one-man retrospectives at venues ranging from the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, to the California African American Museum, Los Angeles, California. He has exhibited in over one hundred group shows in the USA, Japan, Russia, Italy, Taiwan and Jamaica. He lives with his wife, author Gloria Jean, in Westchester County, New York.

Opening Week Related Programs and Events

Exhibition Opening

A member’s opening reception for Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney will be held at Norman Rockwell Museum on Saturday, November 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. The evening will include remarks by Jerry Pinkney, delicious hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, and swinging live music. Cost and additional information are to be announced.

FAMILY DAY

The Lion and the Mouse: The Art of Jerry Pinkney

Sunday, November 14, 1 to 4 p.m.

Meet Jerry Pinkney, America’s most popular children’s book illustrator, during this festive afternoon featuring readings, talks, performances, and book-signings with the artist himself. Free for children 18 and under, adults free with regular Museum admission.

Continue Reading

Summertime at Norman Rockwell Museum

Published on 05 June 2010 by DHeck in Blog

0

It’s “summertime, and the living is easy…” the perfect time of year to relax, and spend some quality time both inside and outside at Norman Rockwell Museum.

Enjoy a leisurely stroll (or picnic) across the Museum’s bucolic grounds, followed by a delicious lunch on the terrace; to cool off, head inside to view memorable favorites from Norman Rockwell and other masters in the field of illustration (William Steig: Love and Laughter opens Saturday, June 12!). Complete your trip with a visit to our Museum store, where you will find plenty of seasonal gifts to keep the fun going all summer long.

Norman Rockwell Museum is a “must-see” during your visit to the culturally-rich Berkshires— for more information on upcoming programs and events, click on the links below.

Programs & Events for Children and Families

Norman Rockwell Museum at summer

Norman Rockwell Museum at summer. Photo by Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

Programs & Events for Adults

Shop now

Continue Reading

Smithsonian Curator to Talk About Norman Rockwell Art from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg During Evening Lecture at Norman Rockwell Museum

Published on 25 May 2010 by DHeck in Archive

0

"Saturday Evening Post" cover, March 7, 1936 ("Movie Starlet and Reporters," Norman Rockwell, 1936). ©1936 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN. Tear sheet currently on view and from the permanent collection of Norman Rockwell Museum.

Smithsonian American Art Museum Senior Curator Virginia Mecklenburg will present a talk about original Norman Rockwell art owned by filmmakers George Lucas and Steve Spielberg, during an evening lecture to be held at Norman Rockwell Museum on Thursday, August 26, starting at 5:30 p.m. Dr. Mecklenburg has organized “Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg,” the first major exhibition to explore in-depth the connections between Rockwell’s iconic images of American life and the vision of the next generation of visual storytellers. Two of America’s best-known modern filmmakers, both Lucas and Spielberg recognized a kindred spirit in Norman Rockwell and formed significant collections of his work. Learn about the similarities between these acclaimed artists’ work–from themes of national and home town pride, unlikely heroes, children growing up, and life’s small moments. The lecture is free with regular Museum admission, and is being presented as part of the American Storytellers series, co-sponsored by The “Times Union.” To learn more about the exhibition “Telling Stories,” visit the Smithsonian’s Web site:
http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2010/rockwell

American Storytellers

American Storytellers, a lecture and performance series, will be held at Norman Rockwell Museum on Thursday evenings this summer, starting at 5:30 p.m. Enjoy inspired conversations and performances celebrating the art of visual storytelling and the contributions of noted American illustrators–from Norman Rockwell to William Steig–who inspire us to see the world in new and exciting ways. The American Storytellers series is sponsored by “The Albany Times Union,” and all events are free with regular Museum admission.

“Rockwell and the Movies”
On view through October 31, 2010

Though Norman Rockwell is often identified with hometown life in New England, he was a frequent visitor to California, and was called upon by Hollywood to create imagery for posters advertising entertaining feature films of his day.

“Rockwell and the Movies” explores Rockwell’s art for the motion picture industry, and features original paintings, vintage posters, lobby cards, and original portraits of movie stars drawn from the Museum’s Art and Archival Collections and private collections of Rockwell’s art. “The Magnificent Ambersons” (1941), “The Song of Bernadette” (1943), “Along Came Jones”
(1945), “The Razor’s Edge” (1946), “Cinderfella” (1960) and the 1966 remake of the classic, “Stagecoach,” are among the films the artist branded with his signature style of realism and narration.

Continue Reading

Norman Rockwell Museum Presents Summer Music Concert Series

Published on 16 May 2010 by DHeck in Archive, Press Release - Current

0
"Saturday Evening Post," September 26, 1936. Artwork by Norman Rockwell. ©1936 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN.

"Barbershop Quartet,” Norman Rockwell, 1936. ©1936 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN.

Norman Rockwell Museum will present a series of live music performances during the months of July and August. All events are free with Museum admission.

Pneuma Brass Quintet
Thursday, July 1, 5:30 p.m.
Kick off the 4th of July weekend with a special Independence Day-inspired by this Massachusetts-based brass quintet.

Berkshire Choral Festival
Wednesdays, July 14, 21, 28, and August 4, 2:30 p.m.
Enjoy spirited performances of American music with these Berkshire-based singers.

Music and the Movies: An A Cappella Evening with Quintessential
Thursday, July 22, 5:30 p.m.
Enjoy an evening of songs from the silver screen with Quintessential, a Berkshire-based ensemble of a cappella singers, whose performances are a mix of wit and whimsy. The event is part of the Museum’s ongoing “American Storytellers” lecture and performance series, and is sponsored by “The Albany Times Union.”

Classic Folk: An Evening with The Berkshire Ramblers
Thursday, July 29, 5:30 p.m.
Join Roselle and Alan Chartock, Joe Brady and friends, for a evening of classic folk music. These regional musicians have been sharing their love for this time-honored American art form for well over 40 years. The event is part of the Museum’s ongoing “American Storytellers” lecture and performance series, and is sponsored by “The Albany Times Union.”

The Stockbridge Sinfonia
Saturday, August 21, 2 p.m.
Enjoy an afternoon of music with this long-running community orchestra, which celebrates the talents of developing musicians and seasoned performers. Free. Museum admission is additional.

Continue Reading

Combat Artist/Marine Chief Warrant Officer Michael Fay To Speak at Norman Rockwell Museum

Published on 01 May 2010 by DHeck in Archive, Press Release - Current

0

Artwork by Michael Fay. ©Michael Fay. All rights reserved.

Norman Rockwell Museum will present a talk with Chief Warrant Officer and combat artist Michael Fay on Thursday, August 5, starting at 5:30 p.m. One of two combat artists currently employed by the United States Marine Corps, Mr. Fay will share stories of his experiences in the field through artwork which reflects his personal observations of military life in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fay notes that “my intent, especially in view of current events, is to give people… another insight as we all struggle to understand this unfolding drama called the War on Terrorism.”
The lecture is free with Museum admission, and presented as part of the Museum’s ongoing “American Storytellers” series, co-sponsored by “The Albany Times Union.”

About Michael Fay

Marine Chief Warrant Officer Michael Fay is a reservist from Fredericksburg, Virginia. Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Fay is the eldest son of a Marine officer who served before and during World War II. The artist began his own tenure in the Marines from 1975 to 1978 as an infantryman, and attained the rank of sergeant. After pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Art Education from Pennsylvania State University, he re-enlisted and served on active duty for a decade, from 1983 to 1993. During this period, he participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and after a hiatus, became a combat artist with the Field History Detachment supporting the Historical Division of the Marine Corps in 2000. As an official Marine Corps combat artist, Fay has been mobilized for extended periods and has served several tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Learn more on the artist’s
blog: http://mdfay1.blogspot.com

Continue Reading

Join Jeffrey Borak and Hope Aaron for Brunch & Dramatic Readings of Rockwell’s Fan Mail

Published on 01 May 2010 by DHeck in Archive, Press Release - Current

0

Norman Rockwell meets with Senator Robert Kennedy at the Plaza Hotel, New York, New York, in 1968, prior to painting his portrait for the April 16, 1968 edition of "Look" magazine. Photograph by Ben Herzog. Licensed by Norman Rockwell Licensing, Niles, IL. From the permanent collection of Norman Rockwell Museum.

As an illustrator for the widely disseminated “Saturday Evening Post,” Norman Rockwell achieved celebrity status early, and his covers were so popular that thousands of readers felt comfortable enough to personally correspond with the artist about his work. Norman Rockwell Museum will present a dramatic reading of several selections from Rockwell’s fan mail letters, during a performance/brunch to be held at the Museum on Sunday, July 11, starting at 11 a.m. Experience the outpouring of reader reaction to Rockwell’s work during his 47 years creating illustrations for “The Post.” Jeffrey Borak, arts and entertainment editor for “The Berkshire Eagle,” and actress/designer Hope Aaron will perform readings of many of the heartfelt letters the artist received from around the world. Archivist Jessika Drmacich, who curated the Museum’s winter 2010 exhibition “To Rockwell with Love: Fan Mail and ‘The Saturday Evening Post,’” will offer cultural perspective. Admission to the event costs $20, $16 for Museum members, with a delicious brunch menu included. To RSVP call 413-298-4100 x 221

“Rockwell and the Movies”
On view through October 31, 2010

Though Norman Rockwell is often identified with hometown life in New England, he was a frequent visitor to California, and was called upon by Hollywood to create imagery for posters advertising entertaining feature films of his day.

This installation exploring Rockwell’s art for the movies features original paintings, vintage posters, lobby cards, and original portraits of movie stars drawn from the Museum’s Art and Archival Collections and private collections of Rockwell’s art. “The Magnificent Ambersons” (1941), “The Song of Bernadette” (1943), “Along Came Jones” (1945), “The Razor’s Edge” (1946), “Cinderfella” (1960) and the 1966 remake of the classic, “Stagecoach,” are among the films the artist branded with his signature style of realism and narration.

Continue Reading

Norman Rockwell Cover Story in Latest “Saturday Evening Post”

Published on 04 March 2010 by DHeck in Blog

0

Image courtesy SaturdayEveningPost.com

Norman Rockwell is returning to The Saturday Evening Post! The March/April edition of the magazine will look at the continued popularity and relevance of the artist in a cover story written by journalist Pamela Krol. According to Krol, “Rockwell’s work carved a unique niche’ in the American psyche and both stoked and affirmed our pride in who and what we are, when we are at our best. There was, and still is surprising power in that.”

The article looks at the success of such exhibitions as American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell, Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera, and the upcoming Smithsonian exhibition Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg with keeping Rockwell in the public eye, and presenting new interpretations of the artist’s work; interviews are included with Norman Rockwell Museum staff, as well as Ron Schick, the author and curator of Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera. Also included in the issue will be a gallery of Post covers from various artists, and articles on collecting original works.

In 1916, Norman Rockwell painted his first cover for The Saturday Evening Post, which he considered to be the “greatest show window in America.” Over the next 47 years, 322 Rockwell covers would appear on the cover of the venerable publication.

Saturday Evening Post Web site: http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com

Continue Reading

Acclaimed Photography Exhibition Continues at Norman Rockwell Museum with Extended Series of Programs and Events

Published on 20 February 2010 by DHeck in Press Release - Current

0

Reference photo for Norman Rockwell’s The Runaway, 1958. Photographer unidentified. Licensed by Norman Rockwell Licensing, Niles, IL. From the permanent collection of Norman Rockwell Museum.

A landmark exhibition that has shed new light on Norman Rockwell’s art and artistry, continues its successful run at Norman Rockwell Museum with an extended series of related programs and events. “Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera” explores Rockwell’s richly detailed study photographs, created by the artist as references for his iconic paintings. Covered by such diverse outlets as “Vanity Fair,” NPR Radio, and “The Smithsonian Magazine,” the exhibition was organized with author and guest curator Ron Schick, whose companion book of the same name was released late last year by Little, Brown and Company; landing on several best-of book lists for 2009. 
Made possible through ProjectNORMAN, the Museum’s long-term digital preservation project, and a grant from “Save America¹s Treasures,” “Norman 
Rockwell: Behind the Camera” brings together approximately 120 prints of Rockwell’s study photographs and 25 original paintings and drawings linked to the photographs on display. The photographs- painstakingly staged by Rockwell and involving an array of models, costumes, props, and settings- exist as fully realized works of art in their own right. In addition to original art from Norman Rockwell Museum’s collection, several significant works from such noted institutions as The Brooklyn Museum, The National Air and Space Museum, The Columbus Museum of Art, The Memorial Art Gallery, and The Eastman Kodak Company, are also featured in the exhibition. The result is a fascinating frame-by-frame view of the development of some of Rockwell’s most indelible images. Generous support for “Norman Rockwell: 

Behind the Camera” is provided by the Stockman Family Foundation. 

　 

Related Programs and Events

The Artist & The Photograph: Contemporary Perspectives Saturday Series
February 27, March 26, and April 24, 5:30 p.m. 
Spend inspiring evenings with noted photographers, who will explore contemporary pathways in photography, from assembled narration to the moving image. A reception with the artists will follow. $10, $7 Museum members. 
Featured artists include: 

-Kevin Sprague (February 27) 

-Gregory Crewdson (March 26) 

-Jonathan Doster (April 24) 

Picture This: Writing with Photographs
Saturday, March 6, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

This engaging writing experience with author/educator Vivian Dorsel explores the use of photographs as inspirational visual memoir that can spark the writing process. $15, $10 Museum members. 

A Workshop for Educators
Focus Group: Museums, Libraries, and Schools Connect
Saturday,March 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Educators and librarians are invited to join Museum education staff for a presentation of ProjectNORMAN, the upcoming digital database of Norman Rockwell’s work. Refreshments will be served. Free. To register, call 413.298.4100, ext. 260, or e-mail prog@nrm.org. 

Camera Clinic: Get More Out of Your Digital Camera
Saturday, April 17, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Talented photographer Sabine Vollmer von Falken will help you navigate your digital camera to achieve outstanding results. Fledgling and experienced photographers are welcome. $12, $8 Museum members. 

Uncovering the Covers of the “Post”
Thursday, May 13, 12:30 p.m. 

Norman Rockwell Museum Chief Curator Stephanie Plunkett takes visitors “behind the camera” to explore Norman Rockwell’s extensive use of photography in creating his famous covers for “The Saturday Evening Post.” Beverages and dessert provided. $6, $4 Museum members, or free with Museum admission. 

Norman Rockwell’s American Dream: An Evening with David Kamp
Saturday, May 29, 5:30 p.m. 

Enjoy a discussion with author David Kamp, contributing editor to “Vanity Fair,” whose commentary on “Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera” appeared in the magazine’s November 2009 issue. $10, $7 Museum members, or free with Museum admission. 

 

Continue Reading

1 2 3 4 »Last »