I felt SO validated when he said that when he went to a talk by an artist he wanted to know "do you stand up or sit when you paint - just mundane things like that". Amen Mr. Rockwell, Amen.
Thank you for sharing this. It's hard to imagine the personality behind the works that happened before we were born and before people became so accessible via video interviews and the like. I had a poster of the Umpire painting he was discussing on my bedroom wall when I was a kid, and I loved staring at the faces and taking in all the details.
Wow!!! What an absolute treasure to listen to. Thank you for sharing it here!
I’ll be listening again and again!
He’s so funny!! A little dated in terms of “guy” humor, typical of that time period. But his direct and practical advice regarding illustration vs. painting vs. what is art - just what I could have used back in art school! Not to mention the use of photography… which I still carry guilt about!
What a great audio treasure—thanks, James, for posting! Rockwell holding forth about “the fine art guys” and defending his use of photography, so folksy and unpretentious.
I’m struck by the image discussed. It’s so chock-a-block loaded up with situational gags and multiple characters, like a busy Bruegel city scape (fine art enough for ya?). The staging is all crafted and constructed to serve the focal point of the perspective and subject matter punch line. A decade later, Wally Wood, Will Elder and Harvey Kurtzman would use similar rich visuals and content density in their art work for Mad and Playboy. Where Rockwell (usually) stages with quieter poses and New England reserve, the Mad gang went wild- and called all their added madcap bits and rich gags “chicken fat.” But in this Rockwell, the woman on porch grabbing her head looks like she was added by Wally Wood. Forschluggener!
This is great stuff. Thanks for sharing. I was just watching Jimmy Stewart in the movie Glenn Miller Story. Entire movie was much like the sense you get looking at Rockwell and his contemporaries. Makes me wonder if there's anything left to scour bin those old musty flea markets and mom n pop antique shops for catalogs and magazines that have anything of those great illustrations. But thankfully now with the internet I can find exactly what Rockwell was talking about almost as he's speaking. The umpire bit was referring to "Tough Call" April 1949.
Really enjoyed this. He sounds like he was wonderful to be around with, and really professional. Loved his anecdote about Leyendecker walking around his studio and pretending to not see the photos lying around, just laughed my ass off as I were there. I'll also be having a repeat listen in the future.
Thank you so much James for sharing this. Really interesting. It’s impressive, and yet not surprising given how perfect his pictures are in their way, just how much care he took in his preparation process. Thanks again
I felt SO validated when he said that when he went to a talk by an artist he wanted to know "do you stand up or sit when you paint - just mundane things like that". Amen Mr. Rockwell, Amen.
Thank you for sharing this. It's hard to imagine the personality behind the works that happened before we were born and before people became so accessible via video interviews and the like. I had a poster of the Umpire painting he was discussing on my bedroom wall when I was a kid, and I loved staring at the faces and taking in all the details.
Wow!!! What an absolute treasure to listen to. Thank you for sharing it here!
I’ll be listening again and again!
He’s so funny!! A little dated in terms of “guy” humor, typical of that time period. But his direct and practical advice regarding illustration vs. painting vs. what is art - just what I could have used back in art school! Not to mention the use of photography… which I still carry guilt about!
Thank you so much James!!
I always find it amazing when an Artist can tell a whole story or narrative with one still image.
Rockwell was always able to do that.
My favorite image of his is OUTWARD BOUND.
Big time, condensing that much narrative takes so much creativity. Huge inspiration.
Wow!! Thank you for sharing. How does one manage to get access to this audio and others like it, in the first place?
What an entertaining and inspiring presentation, I never realized how funny he was! How lucky those audience members were.
I am related to Norman Rockwell on my dad's side of the family.
Thank you so much for sharing, and huge thank you to the patrons out there helping us mooks get to listen in 👏
What a wonderful treat. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing this James: so inspiring to hear this wonderful ‘storyteller’ tells the story of his process.
What a great audio treasure—thanks, James, for posting! Rockwell holding forth about “the fine art guys” and defending his use of photography, so folksy and unpretentious.
I’m struck by the image discussed. It’s so chock-a-block loaded up with situational gags and multiple characters, like a busy Bruegel city scape (fine art enough for ya?). The staging is all crafted and constructed to serve the focal point of the perspective and subject matter punch line. A decade later, Wally Wood, Will Elder and Harvey Kurtzman would use similar rich visuals and content density in their art work for Mad and Playboy. Where Rockwell (usually) stages with quieter poses and New England reserve, the Mad gang went wild- and called all their added madcap bits and rich gags “chicken fat.” But in this Rockwell, the woman on porch grabbing her head looks like she was added by Wally Wood. Forschluggener!
This is great stuff. Thanks for sharing. I was just watching Jimmy Stewart in the movie Glenn Miller Story. Entire movie was much like the sense you get looking at Rockwell and his contemporaries. Makes me wonder if there's anything left to scour bin those old musty flea markets and mom n pop antique shops for catalogs and magazines that have anything of those great illustrations. But thankfully now with the internet I can find exactly what Rockwell was talking about almost as he's speaking. The umpire bit was referring to "Tough Call" April 1949.
I have no sound! How come I have no sound?
Really enjoyed this. He sounds like he was wonderful to be around with, and really professional. Loved his anecdote about Leyendecker walking around his studio and pretending to not see the photos lying around, just laughed my ass off as I were there. I'll also be having a repeat listen in the future.
Thank you so much James for sharing this. Really interesting. It’s impressive, and yet not surprising given how perfect his pictures are in their way, just how much care he took in his preparation process. Thanks again