Norman Rockwell was cited in 1957 by the
United States Chamber of Commerce as
"A Great Living American" saying
"Through the magic of your talent, the folks next door--their gentle sorrows, their modest joys--have enriched our own lives and given us new insight into our countrymen."
Especially at Christmas, Rockwell seems to
remind us of simpler times.
He painted endless scenes depicting holidays. At the age of 15, a parishioner of his family's church employed him to
create Christmas Card designs. As an adult, he was a
regular at Hallmark. The Saturday Evening Post assigned their Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's covers to their most popular illustrators, including Rockwell.
He painted several homecoming images of American veterans during World War II. He did many
illustrations inspired by Charles Dickens and often liked to talk about how his dad read Dickens' tales to him and his brother after they had finished their schoolwork.
In today's world where everything
seems so rushed and time goes so fast, it's refreshing to stop for a moment. Escape into days gone by and into the world of Norman Rockwell.
As America's most beloved illustrator, Rockwell is as synonymous with the holidays as Santa Claus himself.
Art, like music, has a way of immediately
transporting us back in time to where we can see,
hear, smell, maybe even taste memories
from our past. Let's all take a moment (or hopefully even longer) to slow down, reflect on what is most important in our lives. Let's take some time to focus on loved ones, create new memories and reflect on the cherished memories of the past. While we may not feel compatible with the skill of some of the greats like Rockwell, let's take some time to document these moments with words, photographs, paint, pencils, crayons whatever medium will help keep these precious memories alive for years to come!
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