Running head: AMERICAN ARTIST NORMAN ROCKWELL

Report on American Artist Norman Rockwell

Sydney S. Black
Salt Lake Community College

AMERICAN ARTIST NORMAN ROCKWELL

Abstract
Norman Rockwell was born February 3rd 1894, in New York City. His parents are Jarvis
and Anne Mary-Nancy Rockwell. Rockwell had one older brother, who was barely a year older
than him. His name was Jarvis Waring Rockwell Jr. His father worked as a manager at a textile
firm in new york (A Brief). He always wanted to be an artist, and left high school at the age of
14 to go to art school. Rockwell attended The Chase Art School, which is now called The New
York School of Art.
From there he went to National Academy of Design and then to The Art Students League.
He studied alongside, Thomas Fogarty- whose instruction prepared him to work for commercial
commission. George Bridgman- taught him techinical skills hed go back go throughout his
lifetime career (A Brief). He left ASL at the age of 18 to work on his career, and the earliest
works I could find were his illustrations in the Tell Me Why Stories by C.H. Claudy, in which he
complete seven pictures for the book. I wasnt able to find any other than the cover of the book.
He was 19 and it was published in 1913.
He became the art director for Boys Life Magazine, and his first cover was done 1915,
and his salary was $50 a month (Norman). He would spend a lifetime creating covers and
calendars for the Boy Scouts of America. Rockwell ended his association with Boys life in 1976.
Another early work I found during my research in which he illustrated a cover for St. Nicholas in
1917, which he strategically named the piece, girl in the snow with dog, all of his works had
common and relatable titles.
During this time he tried to enlist in the Navy, but was refused due to being underweight,
it is said that he spent the night gorging himself, so that the next day he made the cut. He never

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seen the action of the war and instead was enlisted as a war artist based in Charleston, S.C, and
would draw portraits of soldiers to send to their families and girlfriends (Norman).
His family moved to New Rochelle, New York, where he shared a studio with artist
Clyde Forsythe, who helped Rockwell get his first cover for the POST (A Brief). In may 1916
there were two million subscribers and at the age of 22 Rockwell began a 47 year old long career
with POST. He would create another 321 covers for the magazine. This helped him land work
with other magazines, notably, LOOK Magazine, whom he had a 10 year association with.
Art works like, The Tail end of a Dive depicts the type of illustration done at this time. it
was a two-color process called Duotone, black and white and one other color, usually red, like
you see here. It was done this way until 1926 (Denny). He married a woman named Irene
OConnor in 1916 but they divorced in 1930.In 1930 he married Mary Barstow, a schoolteacher,
and the couple had three sons, Jarvis, Thomas, and Peter (A Brief).The family moved to
Arlington, Vermont, in 1939, and Rockwells work began to reflect small-town American life.
Rockwell's painting The Art Critic is actually his son, Thomas, who is posing as the art
critic. His second wife mary, died unexpectedly in 1959, which heart broken Rockwell took a
break from art. He and his son Thoman wrote his autobiography, My Adventures as an
Illustrator: Norman Rockwell. Which is stories that he is telling his son thomas. POST requested
he do a self portrait to announce his autobiography and Rockwell was known for his humor and
did it in a way that pleased him. Rockwell's skill for capturing the expression on his subjects and
his skill for storytelling really shined through the majority of his POST covers.

AMERICAN ARTIST NORMAN ROCKWELL

He would spend quite about of time planning the scene, and collecting props to get the
right story. The Young Lady With The Shiner, is post war and depict american idealism. He used
a machine called the Balopticon projector to sketch the first step in taking the photographic
image to a finished illustration with charcoal (Schick). Now Rockwell had many admirers and
Steven Spielberg and George Lucas are collectors of his work and the directors claim his art
inspired movie scenes. This certain piece is said to have inspired scenes from forrest gump
(Denny).
Some of his most known work was Inspired by FDRs four freedoms speech (A Brief).
He painted Four Freedoms in 1943, it took seven months to complete. I showed a poster in my
oral report that was shown in schools, town halls and other semi-public settings. Ending his
association with the Post in 1963. Rockwell was said to be too light hearted and his paintings
only depicted americans with healthy and wholesome ideals.
He felt quite strongly about civil right, and this artwork is viewed as the most iconic
pieces during the civil war. His most famous piece of work is called, The Problem We All Live
With, is was done in 1964 for Look magazine, where he broaden his work on civil rights.
Rockwell was able to express his concerns with civil rights and he had a relatively unknown
painting that I included in in my oral report because It showed a different type of painting that he

AMERICAN ARTIST NORMAN ROCKWELL

could do. LOOK later asked him to change the painting to be more centered around the war, and
suggested some helmets to be in the scene, he did as they wished.
Nearing the end of his life, Rockwell wanted to protect art and one couldnt blame him
after having many of his artwork and props lost in a fire. He created a trust in a building which is
now known as the Norman Rockwell Museum, it is located in Stockbridge Massachusetts and is
still up and running today. In 1977 Norman Rockwell was honored with nation's highest Civilian
Honor: The Presidential Medal of Freedom (A Brief).
President Gerald Ford said, "Artist, illustrator and author, Norman Rockwell has
portrayed the American scene with unrivaled freshness and clarity. Insight, optimism and good
humor are the hallmarks of his artistic style. His vivid and affectionate portraits of our country
and ourselves have become a beloved part of the American tradition,"(Gerald). This really
showed how well loved he was in our country.
In 2008 he was named official state Artist of Massachusetts. Students in Berkshire
County nominated him, where Rockwell lived for the last 25 years of his life, this showed that
still to this day his art work resonates the ideals of the
American people. Norman Rockwell lived through our nation's hardest and greatest years, and he
recorded it all in his artwork. Dubbed as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century and having

AMERICAN ARTIST NORMAN ROCKWELL

received the nation's highest civilian honor for capturing our nations with affection and actuary. I
believe that he stands up to the title.

Reflection:I personally am a huge fan of Rockwells work, both early and later pieces.
Norman Rockwell was really in tune with facial expressions. I remember from an early age
viewing his works in books that my grandmother possessed, and laughing at the more humorous
ones. For example his piece: Before the Shot that depicts a young boy in a doctors office
preparing for a shot with his pants down.
Norman Rockwell was also a master at telling a story. He was able to make the viewer
feel connected with the pieces and put so much detail in the little part of the paintings. I believe
this made me as an admirer of his work, and many others feel so relatable to the paintings. It
showed everyday home life, and all the little things that mean so much to people. His piece: The
Obvious Choice depicts a married couple disagreeing with potential presidential candidates. The
kitchen is a mess and a child is on the floor crying. Especially right now, with the latest news in
the 2016 election, it is something that my family can relate to. My family was extremely divided
this election and looking at this piece of art helps ease the tension in the room.
The only thing that I wasnt a fan of was how his art work later on in life started using
hints of cartoonism in his subject's facial features. I understand that his works were really
focused on the facial expressions of the subjects. Yet, for me the cartoonish features took away
from the reality that his paintings depicted.

AMERICAN ARTIST NORMAN ROCKWELL

Rockwell put an affectionate face to the many changes that were occurring in the United
States during his career. The addition of power lines, and cars, the television and the radio were
all iconic events in our country. Norman Rockwell was able to seal all these in time forever with
works of art that are loved by many people.
Works Cited
Denny, B. D. (n.d.). The Saturday Evening Post. Retrieved November 09, 2016, from
http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2011/05/14/art-entertainment/rockwell-changed-ill
ustration.html
Gerald R. Ford: Remarks Upon Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom. (n.d.). Retrieved
November 09, 2016, from http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=5550
Norman Rockwell - A brief biography - A career in illustration. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09,
2016, from http://www.nrm.org/about/about-2/about-norman-rockwell/
Norman Rockwell Timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2016, from
http://castle.eiu.edu/~wow/classes/fa03/nrtimeline.html
Schick, R. (2009). Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera (1st ed.). Little,Brown and Company.