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Adam Hogge
Suzanne Reynolds
ART 1020-016
26 March 2015
Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell was born in New York City on 3 February 1894 and figured at a
young age that he wanted to be an artist. His Grandfather was his main inspiration,
Howard Hill, who was a stock painter selling his paintings door to door. Rockwell claims
to remember little about his parents not having spoken of them much. Although he got
bad grades in his art classes because he wasnt much at following by the book, at 14
years old Rockwell took classes at The New Work School of Art and two years later he
dropped out of high school to go to the National Academy of Design and also The
Students League (nrm.org). While attending The Student League Norman he was
taught to step over the frame and live in the picture. He met two men that would shape
and connect him to his life's work and what would define how he is known now by
millions. From one friend he was prepared for commercial work as an illustrator and by
another friend he learned technical skills that he would use throughout his career and all
of his life (biography.com).
Rockwell's first job was with Boy's Life magazine as a teen, which was a
Boy Scouts of America publication that helped him become a successful freelance[er]

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(nrm.org). In 1916, he married Irene O'Connor and had also painted his first paintings
of many for The Saturday Evening Post. At this time being 22 years old, he took these
2 drawings and sketch ideas to Saturday Morning Post and they bought both for $75
each. Shortly after he was hired on and he began doing their covers which would last
him 47 years covering a total of 321 paintings for the Post (nrm.org). Being with the
Saturday Morning Post allotted him the opportunity to be the best known artist in the
world because every cover was seen by 15 million people.
He joined the Navy even being under weight and under qualified; although he
moved up quickly finding choice assignments was able to do quick portraits of his
superiors. He was an ineptitude discharge because he felt incompetent although his
side jobs gained him more than any admiral. Rockwell didnt last long in the Navy and
was discharged saying he didnt belong because he was just fanciful and a day
dreamer. After his time in the Navy for WWI in the 20s, he quickly succeeded at earning
$45,000/year from the Post.
Rockwell enjoyed acting for his paintings to train his many models to get the
expression and poses he wanted. While he was in Paris his wife left him because, but
he kept going. He would say I dont have an instinct to paint people that have evil ideas
and I wont (biography.com). Considered an illustrator or a drafter because he had to
meet publishers demands as in his work had to be vertical paintings, non-controversial,
seasonal and happy and it gave him so many constraints that critics would say that he
doesnt have the freedom to be an artist (biography.com). Rockwell insisted on being
paid by his work and not by bribing the company for his work or going to other

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companies that would pay him more. Rockwell was faithful and not until seeing this did
The Post pay him more for his show in character. He charged $5,000 for post covers
and $10,000 for advertisements.
After getting divorced with Irene, he met a school teacher and had more of a
closeness that he hadnt ever had before. Together they happily had Jarvis, Peter and
Tom although he continued to neglect his close ones for his work which is the focus
America needed as they would hang his magazine covers for hope in the trying time.
Norman had his favorite models he liked to use extensively, one in particular,
James K. Van Brunt that he featured from 1924-1939. Post editors began to complain of
his over-use so Rockwell disguised or hide him in various other paintings and even paid
him $10 to shave his mustache. He also used youth, age and romance in many of his
paintings as well. Overall Rockwell captured the excitement and energy of life during
Great Depression even while some thought his perspective to be ignorant the fact won
in most that he was optimistic during the war and provided support to those in need.
After the retirement and passing of good friend George Horace Lorimer who built The
Post, he had difficulty with the new leaders of the Post and recalls a time a small girl
stood at his door and marveled at his blank canvas saying boy, youre through! and he
thought he was done with his career there.
In his move to Vermont after change in management at The Post, Rockwell was
able to portray hope through his fictional character he used named Willie Gillis, Jr., in
his series of WWII paintings for the Saturday Morning Post. He used humor and deep
feelings instead of blood and horror to depict the war (biography.com).

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After being denied by the Whitehouse in his attempt to volunteer his services for
the war effort saying that they would only accept fine arts men, he had a dream that
inspired him in a new way. In his dream, Franklin D. Roosevelts words of his 1941 in
the State of the Union struck him and he decided to put the Four Freedoms referred to
in the speech onto Canvas. In his Freedom of Speech painting, it depicted a man that
was agreed with by no one but listened to fairly (biography.com). He finished this piece
November 5, 1960.
After the war, America started to believe in itself and Rockwell was proud to be a
part of it. Often times he was found to be very generous and would sell drawings to the
Boy Scouts of America for only $50 when he would normally sell them then at an
upward cost of $5,000 each. He believed that there are always good people waiting to
save us (biography.com). Although very giving and compassionate, he grew very tired
of his fans criticisms of his paintings and the flaws they would find in them and so he
painted light-hearted April-Fools covers with human heads switched on animals, etc. He
received a thousand fold in letters of how much people enjoyed them and these types of
covers quickly became tradition over the years.
In his new move to Stockbridge he would keep his creative fire burning with 45
minutes a day of bike riding either with family and friends or alone. Rockwell didnt
believe in holding onto his work and after the cover had run, he would give them away
freely to those with strong feelings for them. He was often found quoting John Singer
Sargent in when asked of his opinion of painting: A painting is just of somebody with

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something wrong with the mouth. Rockwell had a hard time after the death of this 3 rd
wife that his therapist had to relieve him of a 22 caliber target pistol.
Although not very political, he had an unmistakable affection for John F. Kennedy
and his works. After longtime friend and editor Ben Hibbs was let go, the Post gave it a
shot without Rockwell and it didnt take too long to realize they were much better off with
him than without. However, after an editor came by his studio and advised him on how
he should do his brush strokes, he knew the end was near (biography.com). Although
he then met his soon to be 4th wife Molly that he got along with very unexpectantly and
for the rest of his life in 1961. His favorite and last piece featured as an original painting
before photos were used as the covers, JFKs memorial portrait was featured 8
November 1978.
Now being on his own, Rockwell really felt like he could explore and paint exactly
what he wanted with the exciting times of change. He found himself focusing on
contemporary subjects like the Astronauts, the Peace Corps and Civil Rights. Many
wondered what great works they missed from his limitations of drawing for the Post.
Although his old stuff sold much better he kept up his new work. Molly kept him
occupied and made him say no when the Post came back around. By 1976 his work
was showing the effects of his age. The people of Stockbridge threw a parade in his
honor as they sensed his downward movement. He was also awarded the Medal of
Freedom from Gerald Ford for his work of clarity for the American people. On November
8, 1978 Norman Rockwell passed away peacefully in his home of old age at 84. In
Stockbridge, the Norman Rockwell Museum displays to millions the work of his lifetime.

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Over more than seven decades he was the illustrator of our history in National Spirit. He
did not deny the grim realities but he chose to focus on humor and hope that could
power a great nation.
Personal Opinion on Norman Rockwell
I grew up with my dad as a teacher and he enjoyed putting posters and pictures
up on his walls of inspiration and motivation for his students. I remember many of the
pictures he put up were of Norman Rockwells pieces and how real they made me feel,
even at a young age, of the emotions easily portrayed. The first I noticed that I could
understand easily was the one with boys running with their clothes in hand obviously
just having swam somewhere and maybe in trouble. But an interesting one that didnt
really register with me the meaning was one which depicted a diverse group of different
ethnicities and ages all standing together. I grew up a dominantly white small town and
wasnt really exposed to many races or changes so Norman Rockwell helped integrate
me.
I really appreciate his style of painting because of his hopeful and cheerful
perspective in his pieces and agree with others that say he might not have depicted
America completely but I would rather have this style and perspective because I strive
to be more hopeful and cheerful in life and dont believe I am ignorant but rather, choose
to focus on better moments of bad. And especially with Normans limitations in the Post
he could only really depict non-controversial, happy scenes instead of his later work
after he left the Post. Although he was arguable not considered an artist because of
these limitations and I do believe to be a true artist, it does require that there be no

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limits that affect the work, however with Norman Rockwell, I believe he not only proved
himself after more than 7 decades of illustrating American history with the Post but he
also proved that he was able to go limitless after his work with the post and showed that
he would have been limitless the entire time if it werent for the Post. All in all, Norman
Rockwell influences millions of people and will continue to influence generations more
as the look back on history and can see that we were in good hands.

Works Cited
"Norman Rockwell." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 21 Feb. 2015.
http://www.biography.com/people/norman-rockwell-37249#synopsis
"Norman Rockwell." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 03 Mar. 2015.
http://www.biography.com/people/norman-rockwell-37249/videos/normanrockwell-full-episode-2074724454
Norman Rockwell Museum website. 4. March 2015. http://www.nrm.org/press/normanrockwell-brief-bio/