Yesterday morning a friend and I went to the Dayton Art Institute to see the Norman Rockwell exhibit. They wouldn't allow any photos, even without flash, so I don't have much to show you, but I can tell you this; if it comes to your town, make plans to see it.
I was admiring the amazing texture on one of the paintings and without thinking I reached out and touched it, showing V what I was talking about. I thought these were all under glass, but no! Well, the art police swooped in and I thought they were going to throw me out. He kept repeating excitedly and very sternly, "Do not touch the art! Do not touch the art! The oil from you hands can damage the art! Do NOT touch the art!" Of course I knew this and I was instantly mortified by my action. I apologized profusely but after that I felt I was being closely watched from room to room.
The art itself was totally amazing. In his paintings of home life there was texture on the plaster walls of homes and in the carpets. Interior doors showed planes and gave the illusion of carved and real wood. His portraits of John Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon showed much detail in their faces. Tiny ridges and wrinkles lined their faces and the corners of their eyes and you could see the small hairs on the backs of their necks near their collars. This man noticed every intricate detail of life and missed nothing in his paintings.
In his 28 years with the Saturday Evening Post he painted 323 covers. He spoke of the difficulty of creating art on demand and trying to meet deadlines. His ability to see bits and scraps of everyday life and to paint a picture that tells a story was pure genious.
His career began early in his teens and twenties painting for Boy's Life, the magazine for Boy Scouts of America, then he found work with the Staturday Evening Post. In 1963 he began working for Look magazine and this is where he began his paintings depicting the Civil Rights Movement.
At the end of the exhibit was a gift shop of tokens and books of the life and career of this amazing man. I could have stayed all day completely immersed and absorbed in studying his work.
5 comments:
How wonderful that you got to peruse NR's art. One can become so absorbed you forget yourself. A lesson for us all. Thanks for sharing.
Oh I understand that wanting to touch. I was with someone years ago in LA and she almost touched a painting and got blasted for the almost. oops. you do get involved looking at them. Glad you got to stay. I have a fridge magnet that was brought back to me from the Rockwell studio back east ..I forget the name of the town.. that a friend went to see in the 90ies. I love his work.
What an adventure. I wish I could see these details you speak of close up and I know I'd want to reach out too instinctively. Neck hairs! YES!!! I too love detail and texture.
Sounds like a fabulous exhibit, and I'm glad you were able to go.
I very well know that feeling "could have stayed all day."
I recall feeling it at every exhibit I've ever been to.
Came close to getting thrown out did you?
I relate to that too,,,,
;-D
sounds like a wonderful exhibit. so glad they didnt throw you out! but that would be another story, eh?
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