American Artists
Georgia O’Keeffe Alma Thomas Mary Cassatt Larry Yáñez Winslow Homer The Kiowa Five Grandma Moses
Alma Thomas The Kiowa Five (1891-1978) Winslow Homer Mary Cassatt (1898-1981) Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) Winslow Homer (1836-1910) Mary Cassatt (1844-1926) Larry Yáñez (1949- ) Grandma Moses (1860-1961)
Norman Rockwell 1894-1978 “Without thinking too much about it in specific terms, I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed.” ~Norman Rockwell
Grew up in New York—for a while in New York City. Wasn’t athletic, but played ball with his brother. Spent lots of time drawing. Traveled two hours by trolley and subway to get to art lessons once a week. Basketball Argument
Left high school to study art. Was known for his discipline, hardwork, and humor. Received his first commission for paintings before he was 16--christmas cards for a Boy Scout publication. Was art editor for Boy’s Life magazine at age 19.
At 22 he painted his first cover for the magazine known as the “greatest show window in America”… The Saturday Evening Post. Over the next 47 years he painted 321 covers for the magazine. He painted cover illustrations for at least 80 different magazines. He painted illustrations for booklets, catalogs, posters, sheet music, stamps, playing cards, and murals.
Enlisted in the Navy in 1920--ended up painting portraits of officers, sailors, etc. Married Irene in 1916, but divorced in 1930. Married again in 1930 to Mary (a school teacher) and had 3 sons--Jarvis, Thomas, and Peter. Moved to Vermont and later Massachusetts. His wife died in 1953, and he married his third wife Molly, a former school teacher, in 1961. First Love
"To us, illustration was an ennobling profession "To us, illustration was an ennobling profession. That's part of the reason I went into illustration. It was a profession with a great tradition, a profession I could be proud of.” ~Norman Rockwell Self Portrait
His Artwork His pictures tell stories. He was recognized for his ability to “get the point across” in one picture
Slightly exaggerated features such as legs, arms and necks. First Down
Painstaking Detail The Tomboy
Used live models (later photographs) The Spanking
What’s this story? Realistic, expressive facial expressions The Vacation
“Countrified Realism” Skinny Dippers
The Discovery
In later years his work took on a more serious tone. He painted his deepest concerns for America--poverty, space exploration, civil rights, etc. In 1977 Norman Rockwell received the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal.
The Problem We All Live With
The End