This complex was founded by the artist himself and exhibits the largest public collection of his artwork.
Rockwell images were used on signs around the grounds.
There were also sculptures done by his son, Peter.
If you think of Norman Rockwell as an American painter and illustrator who depicted everyday life of small town America in days gone pass, you have only scratched the surface of his art.
Yes, he created many images for the cover of the Saturday Evening Post and for Boy Scouts of America's publication Boys' Life...
...however, his work was carefully constructed and pulled from his imagination to depict life not as he saw it but as he wished it to be. He is quoted as saying, “I paint life as I would like it to be.”
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| The Gossips |
He painted universal situations with hidden messages and multiple meanings. As with any art…leaving it open to individual interpretation.
He was commissioned to paint every major presidential candidate from 1952 to 1972.
I love his self-portraits and how he often incorporated himself into the image as with The Gossips where he is
the victim.
(Note: in the Triple Self-Portrait, he surrounds his own image with those of painters he admired: Rembrandt, van Gogh, Picasso and Dürer.)
In the Golden Rule, which was painted for the 14th Anniversary
of the United Nations, his dedication to global peace and harmony is reflected. Of the piece, he said, “I wanted to include people of every race,
creed, and color, depicting them with dignity and respect.”
Looking around the gallery I saw the same type of faces admiring his art.
He also took the opportunity to express his social concerns, as with this image, The Problem We All Live With, depicting Ruby Bridges, the little
girl who integrated the New Orleans school system in 1960.
The museum was also displaying an exhibit of his son, Jarvis, who does three-dimensional art.
I liked these toy story boxes that reminded me of the ones Tinky Winky played with at the Brewery Art Walk: Brewery Art Walk
His third son, Thomas is an, author. I saw this image walking to Norman Rockwells' studio:
Originally, the studio was left as it was found when he died in 1978, but later, it was reset to represent how it looked in 1960 when he painted the Golden Rule.
I made my own art images:
Just outside the studio was this lovely large tree.
I also found time to admire the beauty of The Berkshires.
On the drive back to Springfield I told the navigation system it was OK to take unpaved roads…this was some of the scenery:
