FRANK'S BLOG

NORMAN ROCKWELL-BEHIND THE CAMERA

IF YOU ARE A NORMAN ROCKWELL FAN THERE IS A VERY NICE EXHIBIT IN THE HOLMES GALLERY AT THE VERO BEACH MUSEUM OF ART. THE SPECIAL SHOWING RUNS TO JANUARY 13, 2013. THE SHOW HAS TWENTY ORIGINAL PAINTINGS, STUDIES, AND DRAWINGS , 47 OF ROCKWELL'S REFERENCE PHOTOGRAPHS AS WELL AS 37 MAGAZINE TEAR SHEETS. ALSO ON DISPLAY IS THE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT WHICH WAS UTILIZED IN ROCKWELL'S ART STUDIO.

THE UNDERLYING THEME OF THE EXHIBIT IS TO SHOW HOW ROCKWELL USED PHOTOGRAPHY AS A "DIRECTOR" IN PREPARATION FOR HIS FINAL ART WORK.  EARLY IN HIS CAREER HE BELIEVED THAT PHOTOGRAPHY WAS NOT "ART", BUT CAME TO USE IT EXTENSIVELY FOR PREPARATORY WORK FOR HIS FINAL PAINTINGS. WORK SUCH AS "GOSSIP" SHOWN BELOW ARE IN THE EXHIBIT:

ALSO THIS WORK BELOW IS SHOWN IN THE PAINTING OF A GIRL WHO WAS IN A SCHOOL FIGHT:

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS EXHIBIT, OR HAVE CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN VISITING IT IS WELL WORTHWHILE VISITING THE ART MUSEUM.