“I paint life as I would like it to be.”
-Norman Rockwell
What a dream come true!
Almost two years ago I wrote a post about my love of Norman Rockwell and how, as a child who loved to draw, he inspired me.
Last Saturday I spent the day at the Winnipeg Art Gallery for the Norman Rockwell exhibit -- it was the first time that I had seen any of his work in real life.
I always admired Rockwell's composition, his expressive faces, wit, and his ability to tell a story through pictures. His Post covers were microcosms of a bigger world; the were moments in time that held tons of emotion.
What I didn't expect was for the original paintings to be so big! Each of the oil paintings for the Post covers were about 2 x 2 feet, so as in any reproduction, the beautiful details were lost in the the magazine covers.
I discovered last Saturday that Norman Rockwell was a master of light and color. The paintings glow with light. The faces are luminous. A simple beige book cover or white dress actually hold a multitude of colors.
I felt overwhelmed by seeing these images in person after seeing them hundreds of times before in books and prints. Emotion filled me as I gazed at the actual canvas that Rockwell spent so much time in front of thinking and creating. The little girl in me was giddy; at times I felt weepy. It was wonderful!
Please go if you have a chance. An audio guide is included.
I decided to approach each image in solitude and just look. After a while, I pushed the numbers to hear Norman and Peter Rockwell tell me about the story behind the paintings.
This is a world-class exhibition in Winnipeg!
It runs until May 20, 2012.
I know you will enjoy it,
xo Karen
Some people have been kind enough to call me a fine artist. I've always called myself an illustrator. I'm not sure what the difference is.
-Norman Rockwell
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