Pops Peterson: Rockwell Revisited

October 17, 2020 through May 31, 2021

In 2015, Berkshire-based artist and writer Pops Peterson debuted Reinventing Rockwell, a series of artworks reimagining mid-century illustrations by Norman Rockwell in a manner reflective of today’s times. Celebrating America’s rich diversity and embracing Rockwell’s sense of humanity, Peterson has created images that envision social change and express his desire for a positive, inclusive, and just world.

Pops Peterson wishes to express appreciation to his talented team, including Cassandra Sohn, John Clarke, Judy Seaman, Matt Finnerty, Rob Grien, Cindy Atkins, Joseph Cisneros, Stephen G. Donaldson, Isha Nelson and Mont Vert Studio.

Freedom from What? (I Can’t Breathe),

Pops Peterson
Freedom from What? (I Can’t Breathe), 2015
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Launched at the High School of Music and Art in New York, Peterson’s artistic education continued at Pratt Institute and Columbia University. His writings have been published in Andy Warhol’s Interview, Essence, The Village Voice and The New York Times, and he has authored stage plays and screenplays for television and film. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination named Peterson its first Artist in Residence for which he lectures annually at the Fair Housing and Civil Rights Conference. His painting, “Freedom from Shame,” inspired the Massachusetts Office on Disability’s statewide art competition, “Breaking Barriers,” which was presented in the Massachusetts State House in 2017.

Peterson is the owner and general manager of SEVEN salon.spa in Stockbridge, MA, a business established with his husband Mark Johnson that is situated directly across the street from Rockwell’s former home. Freedom from What? (I Can’t Breathe) has travelled across the nation in Norman Rockwell: Imagining Freedom, and we are honored to share a broader selection of images from this impactful series. Peterson’s work is also on view at Sohn Fine Art in Lenox, MA.

IMAGES

Freedom of Speech

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
Freedom of Speech, 1943.
Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, February 20, 1943.
From the collection of Norman Rockwell Museum.
© 1943 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Licensing, Indianapolis, IN. All rights reserved.

Pops Peterson - What the Hell? 2015

Pops Peterson
What the Hell? 2015
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

Inspired by Rockwell’s 1943 Freedom of Speech, the artist notes that this work represents “those who have been marginalized and have fought for inclusion in the political process.”

Freedom of Worhship

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
Freedom of Worship, 1943.
Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, February 27, 1943.
From the collection of Norman Rockwell Museum.
© 1943 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Licensing, Indianapolis, IN. All rights reserved.

Freedom of Faith (All Faiths Equal One Faith)

Pops Peterson
Freedom of Faith (All Faiths Equal One Faith), 2016
Digital print on paper
Collection of the artist

Inclusion and respect for all faith and non-faith traditions is the theme of this work, which also reflects the diversity of the Berkshire region’s residents. Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Spiritualist, independently faithful and atheist models all came to be photographed at Mont Vert Studio in Canaan, New York, to portray their own faiths.

Freedom from Want

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
Freedom From Want, 1943.
Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, March, 6, 1943.
From the collection of Norman Rockwell Museum.
© 1943 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Licensing, Indianapolis, IN. All rights reserved.

Thanksgiving Gay Dinner, 2014

Pops Peterson
Thanksgiving Gay Dinner, 2014
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

In this joyous scene, Peterson and husband Mark Johnson host a Thanksgiving Day gathering of the couple’s close friends. Set in the home of Stockbridge neighbors Carol Murko and Jim Finnerty, the image was inspired by the warmth of an actual holiday celebration and by Rockwell’s 1943 Freedom from Want.

Freedom from Fear

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
Freedom From Fear, 1943.
Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, March, 13, 1943.
From the collection of Norman Rockwell Museum.
© 1943 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Licensing, Indianapolis, IN. All rights reserved.

Freedom from What? (I Can’t Breathe),

Pops Peterson
Freedom from What? (I Can’t Breathe), 2015
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

Created in 2014, this work reflects the tragic struggle of Eric Garner, a Staten Island man who died after being placed in a chokehold by an arresting officer. While being held down by police, Garner repeated the words “I can’t breathe” eleven times. “I knew this modern-day lynching would be historic. Yet I never could have fathomed that years later these very words would again be cried out by Manuel Ellis, Javier Ambler, and George Floyd⸺handcuffed Black men pleading with police in vain, and on camera, for their lives,” said Peterson. It is the artist’s hope that “a new golden age of tolerance and brotherly love will rise like the phoenix.”

Home on Leave

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
Home on Leave, 1945.
Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, September 15, 1945.
© 1945 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Licensing, Indianapolis, IN. All rights reserved.

Sailor’s Best Friend, 2014

Pops Peterson
Sailor’s Best Friend, 2014
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

Inspired by Rockwell’s Home on Leave, a September 15, 1945 cover for The Saturday Evening Post, this work is Peterson’s first foray into the appropriation of the illustrator’s art. In Peterson’s version, the sailor’s pack of cigarettes is replaced by a blue iPhone, but like Rockwell, it incorporates just the right model, Nicholas Browne, animal, the late Ricardo, and props. The artist used a reflector to magnify the sense of light and shadow in the work, and Adobe Photoshop transformed his photograph into a painterly narrative.

Girl At Mirror

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
Girl at Mirror, 1954 .
Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, March 6, 1954.
Norman Rockwell Art Collection Trust
© 1954 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Licensing, Indianapolis, IN. All rights reserved.

St. Joan, 2015

Pops Peterson
St. Joan, 2015
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

In Rockwell’s 1954 Girl at Mirror, an adolescent girl dreams of being a movie star, but in Peterson’s St. Joan, she longs to break down gender barriers by becoming a Boy Scout. In 2018, the national scouting organization announced that it was changing its name and that it would welcome both girls and boys, ages eleven to seventeen, into Scouts BSA.

The Runaway

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
The Runaway, 1958 .
Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post,  September 20, 1958.
Norman Rockwell Art Collection Trust
© 1958 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Licensing, Indianapolis, IN. All rights reserved.

Stockbridge Fire Department to the Rescue, 2014 and 2019
Pops Peterson
Stockbridge Fire Department to the Rescue, 2014 and 2019
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

Set in Joe’s Diner, a Lee, Massachusetts landmark that also inspired The Runaway, Rockwell’s 1958 Post cover, this scene features Stockbridge police officer Heidi Teutch and young Benjamin Gross in a warm exchange. Teutch volunteered to pose for Peterson’s recreation but had to seek permission to be photographed in her uniform. Ultimately, the Stockbridge fire department assisted by providing a uniform for Teutch to wear. Peterson chose to pair a female police officer and a child of color in this scene, noting that “the chemistry of the woman and the child is warm. She gives him her cap to wear⸺she’s helping him.” Originally shot in 2014 with  Jim Finnerty as the soda jerk, it was revised in 2018 to feature Ed Locke, who portrayed the runaway boy in Rockwell’s original.

Problem We All Live With

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
The Problem We All Live With, 1963.
Story illustration for Look, January 14, 1964
From the permanent collection of Norman Rockwell Museum
Licensed by Norman Rockwell Licensing Company, Niles, IL

The Problem Persists

Pops Peterson
The Problem Persists, 1964-2014, 2014
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

Rockwell’s 1964 painting, The Problem We All Live With, is the basis for a more contemporary statement inspired by civil unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, following the fatal 2014 shooting of Michal Brown by police. The unrest sparked vigorous debate about policing, the use of force, and the relationship of law enforcement with African Americans. Creating the image allowed Peterson to express his grief over this painful incident. “Everyone was talking about the riots and shootings, throwing blame, and I thought, what about the kids?” he said. “Their lives have been ruined and they’re totally innocent.”

New Kids in the Neighborhood

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
New Kids in the Neighborhood, 1967.
Story illustration for Look, May 16, 1967
From the permanent collection of Norman Rockwell Museum
Licensed by Norman Rockwell Licensing Company, Niles, IL

Welcome to the Neighborhood, 2019

Pops Peterson
Welcome to the Neighborhood, 2019
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

In Peterson’s welcoming scene, Rockwell model Wray Gunn (second from left) appears in this artwork for a new age. A resident of Lee and Stockbridge, Massachusetts in his youth, Gunn modeled for Rockwell as a boy who loved baseball in the artist’s 1967 New Kids in the Neighborhood, which addressed the theme of racial integration in America’s suburbs. An ancestor of Agrippa Hull, who lived in the Berkshires before and after fighting in the American Revolution, Gunn shared his experiences with visitors as a Norman Rockwell Museum guide.  This work on the theme of tolerance is a companion to Saying Grace in the Main Street Café.

Saying Grace

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
Saying Grace, 1951.
Cover illustration for The Saturday Evening Post,  published November 24, 1951.
© 1951 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Licensing, Indianapolis, IN. All rights reserved.

Saying Grace at the Main Street Café, 2018
Pops Peterson
Saying Grace at the Main Street Café, 2018
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

As a child growing up in New York, freedom “was a world where we all could get a milkshake, sit with whomever we wanted at the lunch counter, and have fun. All these years later, I feel the same. Freedom is when we can just do what we want with whomever we want,” the artist said. As in Rockwell’s 1951 Saying Grace, Peterson brings diners of different ages and experiences together, somewhat uncomfortably, at the Main Street Café in Stockbridge. Rockwell’s first studio in town was situated in the building’s second floor, from 1953 to 1957, when the café was a meat market. This piece on the theme of intolerance is a companion to Welcome to the Neighborhood,

When I am an Astronaut

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
When I Am an Astronaut (Little Boy Astronaut Watching TV Presentation of a Blastoff), 1969.
Charcoal on paper
© 1969 Norman Rockwell Family Agency. All rights reserved.

When I’m in the International Space Station, 2020
Pops Peterson
When I’m in the International Space Station, 2020
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

Massachusetts State Representative Wm. Smitty Pignatelli floats in a gravity-free environment in this work, which takes inspiration from When I Am An Astronaut, Rockwell’s 1969 book illustration featuring Pignatelli as a model. He recalls the difficulty of holding a challenging pose, which required that his head remain lifted during Rockwell’s photography session. We are honored to include Pignatelli’s astronaut suit among the Norman Rockwell Museum’s archival collections.

After the Prom

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
After the Prom, 1957.
Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, 1957.
© 1957 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Licensing, Indianapolis, IN. All rights reserved.

Pride and Joy, 2020
Pops Peterson
Pride and Joy, 2020
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

Looking on from the far left, Pops Peterson makes a cameo appearance in this contemporary take on Rockwell’s 1957 Post cover, After the Prom. Staged at the West Taghkanic Diner in Ancram, New York, the piece reflects Peterson’s careful attention to the details of gesture, expression, and clothing, and a uniqueness of setting that establishes a clear sense of place—an approach that is reflective of Rockwell’s own working methods. Peterson is enchanted by young lovers Soumya Boutin and Jay Grahm while Sam Backhaus sniffs the fragrant bouquet.

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
Willie Gillis in College, 1956.
Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, 1946.
© 1946 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Licensing, Indianapolis, IN. All rights reserved.

The Education of Lance Corporal Will Cisneros, 2015
Pops Peterson
The Education of Lance Corporal Will Cisneros, 2015
Digital print on canvas
Collection of the artist

During World War II, Rockwell’s Willie Gillis series for The Saturday Evening Post told the story of a fictional private’s experiences in a decidedly lighthearted tone. In the last of eleven covers, published in 1946, Gillis is studying comfortably at a window looking out at the Old Chapel at Middlebury College, his college education made possible by the GI Bill. “In my update, Latinex soldier Will Cisnernos goes go college after having served in Afghanistan,” Peterson said. He is surrounded by the trappings of his dorm room but close inspection reveals that Cisneros has lost a foot while in service to his country; a purple heart commemorates his sacrifice. Prescription drugs are indicative of his ongoing pain, but his bicycle helmet and guitar reveal that he enjoys mobility and music as he pursues his studies and works toward his future.

The Artist wishes to acknowledge his creative staff whose help has been essential over the years:

Cassandra Sohn – Mentorship and Representation
John Clarke – Editing and Printing
Judy Seaman – Lighting
Rob Grien – Lighting
Joseph Cisneros – Lighting and Camera
Cindy Atkins – Creative Assistant
Stephen G. Donaldson – Lighting and Camera
Isha Nelson – Studio Assistance
Mont Vert Studio

RELATED EVENTS

MEDIA

CBS SUNDAY MORNING–Norman Rockwell’s The Four Freedoms Today-POPS PETERSON

Recorded: September 4, 2018

ARTS & CIVIL RIGHTS: Van Der Zee to Rockwell and Beyond – An Evening with Pops Peterson

Recorded: August 6, 2016

Reinventing Rockwell and Other Projects: An Evening with Pops Peterson

Recorded: August 7, 2015

VENUE(S)

Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA      October 17, 2020 through May 31, 2021

Hours

OPEN
Mon 10am-4pm
Tue 10am-4pm
Thu 10am-4pm
Fri 10am-4pm
Sat 10am-5pm
Sun 10am-5pm

CLOSED
Wednesdays
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
New Year’s Day
ROCKWELL’S STUDIO
Re-opens May 2 – November 10, 2024
closed Wednesdays
TERRACE CAFÉ
Closed for the season.
Re-opens June 2024

Special Holiday Hours: Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve: 10am-3pm.
When attending the Museum, please observe our COVID-19 policies; in addition to Massachusetts Travel Guidelines.

Admissions

Additional Discount Opportunities:

  • Front Line Medical Workers receive free admission.
  • AAA member, NARM member, Stockbridge Resident, and EBT/WIC/ConnectorCare Cardholder discounts available.

For Free and Reduced prices, you may be required to present a valid ID demonstrating your status for qualifying for discounted pricing.

Kids Free is supported by:
Connector Card is supported by:
Norman Rockwell Museum receives support from:

DIRECTIONS

Norman Rockwell Museum
9 Glendale Road Route 183
Stockbridge, MA 01262
413-931-2221

Download a Printable version of Driving Directions (acrobat PDF).

Important note: Many GPS and online maps do not accurately place Norman Rockwell Museum*. Please use the directions provided here and this map image for reference. Google Maps & Directions are correct! http://maps.google.com/

* Please help us inform the mapping service companies that incorrectly locate the Museum; let your GPS or online provider know and/or advise our Visitor Services office which source provided faulty directions.

Route 7 runs north to south through the Berkshires. Follow Route 7 South to Stockbridge. Turn right onto Route 102 West and follow through Main Street Stockbridge. Shortly after going through town, you will veer to the right to stay on Route 102 West for approximately 1.8 miles. At the flashing light, make a left onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.

Route 7 runs north to south through the Berkshires. Follow Route 7 North into Stockbridge. Turn left onto Route 102 West at the stop sign next to The Red Lion Inn. Shortly after you make the left turn, you will veer to the right to stay on Route 102 West for approximately 1.8 miles. At the flashing light, make a left onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.

Boston (two-and-a-half hours) or Springfield (one hour):
Take the Ma ssachusetts Turnpike (I-90) West, getting off at exit 10 (formerly exit 2) – Lee. At the light at the end of the ramp turn left onto Route 20 East and then immediately turn right onto Route 102 West. Follow Route 102 West into Stockbridge Center (about five miles). Continue going west on Route 102 (Main St.). Shortly after going through town, you will veer to the right to stay on Route 102 West for approximately 1.8 miles. At the flashing light, make a left onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.

from Albany and west: (one hour) Take I-90 east to exit B3 – Route 22. Go south on New York Route 22 to Massachusetts Route 102 East. Stay on Route 102 East through West Stockbridge. Continue on Route 102 East approximately 5.5 miles until you come to a blinking light at the intersection of Route 183. Make a right at the blinking light onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.

(two-and-a-half hours) Take either the New York State Thruway or the Taconic State Parkway to I-90 East. Follow I-90 East to exit B3 – Route 22. Go south on New York Route 22 to Massachusetts Route 102 East. Stay on Route 102 East through West Stockbridge. Continue on Route 102 East approximately 5.5 miles until you come to a blinking light at the intersection of Route 183. Make a right at the blinking light onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.

(one-and-a-half hours) Take I-91 North to the Massachusetts Turnpike. Take the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) West, getting off at exit 10 (formerly exit 2) – Lee. At the light at the end of the ramp turn left onto Route 20 East and then immediately turn right onto Route 102 West. Follow Route 102 West into Stockbridge Center (about five miles). Continue going west on Route 102 (Main St.). Shortly after going through town, you will veer to the right to stay on Route 102 West for approximately 1.8 miles. At the flashing light, make a left onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.

(five minutes)
Go west on Route 102 (Main St.). Shortly after going through town, you will veer to the right to stay on Route 102 West for approximately 1.8 miles. At the flashing light, make a left onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.