The Famous and Lovable American Painter & Illustrator - Norman Rockwell

American painter & illustrator of 20th century,children into Bed," "the Willie Gillis series," and "Saying
Norman Percevel Rockwell was born on February 3,Grace (1951)." In 1930, the painter married Mary
1894, to Jarvis Waring and Ann Mary (Hill) Rockwell, inBarstow. During this period, Norman was asked to
New York. His grandfather, Thomas Hill, was an Englishillustrate Mark Twain's "The Adventures of
artist, who was known for his animal drawings. HisHuckleberry Finn" and "Tom Sawyer." The perfectionist
father was a businessperson and liked to copythat he was, Rockwell travelled to Hannibal, Missouri to
illustrations from magazines. Apart from his artisticget a feel of the place in order to make his illustrations
lineage, Rockwell's friends too were instrumental in hisoptimally close.
growth as an artist. The painter was a gawky, skinnyDuring World War II, in1943, the artist painted the "Four
child with pigeon-toed feet & spectacles, and withFreedoms" series, which depicted President
a nickname "Moony." Norman Rockwell made up forRoosevelt's principles for universal rights. These
his lack of interest in sports by painting for his friends.paintings became so famous that they raised $139.9
At the age of five, the artist would make cardboardmillion in an exhibition for the war effort. The same
cutouts of ships and paint them, which made himyear, Rockwell's studio was engulfed in a fire, where
popular among his peers.he lost all his paintings and his props. In 1958, after the
Owing to his interest in art, Norman Rockwell joineddeath of his wife, Norman Rockwell started work on
the Chase School of Fine and Applied Art at the agehis autobiography, "My Adventures as an Illustrator,"
of fourteen. Later, he joined the National Academy ofwhich was published in 1960. In 1961, Rockwell married
Design, but their rigid schedule drove Norman to joinMary L. "Molly" Punderson. In 1963, Rockwell ended his
the Art Students League in 1910. It was here, at theassociation with Saturday Evening Post and started
age of sixteen, the artist received his first paidworking for "Look" magazine. It was here that he was
assignment, where he painted four Christmas cards. Inable to express his concerns on civil rights and
1912, the painter had his first job as an illustrator for thepoverty. "Southern Justice (1965)" and "The Problem
"Tell Me Why Stories." These illustrations made himWe All Live With" are a few thought provoking
very popular. At the age of twenty-one, Norman'screations of the painter.
family moved to New Rochelle, New York, where heIn addition to the above, the artist did advertisements
set up a studio along with the cartoonist Clydefor AT&T, Campbell Soup, Coco-Cola, and Ford
Forsythe. There the illustrator began a series ofMotor Company. He also made movie promotional
freelancing work for magazines, such as "Life,"booklets, murals, posters, six United States postage
"Literary Digest," and "County Gentleman."stamps, and an album cover for Mike Bloomfield
On May 20, 1916, Norman's first cover of Saturday& Al Kooper. Rockwell used to make nearly
Evening Post made its appearance. This work was$40,000 in a year. His last published work was the
titled, "Mother's Day Off." The same year, the artistcover of "American Artist" in 1976. In 1977, the artist
married Irene O'Connor, which though, ended in 1928.was conferred the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Rockwell published 321 covers for the SaturdayNorman Rockwell died on November 8, 1978, at the
Evening Post over a period of 47 years. Some of hisage of 84 at Stockbridge, Massachusetts. His
famous pieces of work include "Circus Barker andillustrations continue to fascinate and inspire the next
Strongman," "Gramps at the Plate," "Redhead lovesgeneration of artists worldwide.
Hatty Perkins," "Man playing Santa," "Mother tucking