We Can Do It!

Photo by Jeremy Clowe
for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

What better way to kick off Labor Day weekend than a visit to the Museum from Rosie The Riveter? That's right--Mary Doyle Keefe, the original model for Norman Rockwell's 1943 painting, stopped by Norman Rockwell Museum today along with her family. As I am often called on to do, I stopped by to say hello and take a few photos. 

I had already met and conducted a video interview with Keefe several years back, and learned that she worked as the town telephone operator when Rockwell, her Arlington, Vermont neighbor, "called" on her to pose (he apologized aferwards for making her look so big and muscular). The illustration appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post on May 29, 1943, and I think it is one of his better images, actually... it's amusing, creative, graphically bold... the figure is even inspired by Michelangelo's painting of Isaah from the Sistene Chapel. 

"Rosie The Riveter," 1943, Norman Rockwell
(1894-1978). Norman Rockwell Digital Collections.
©SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN.
(the original painting recently sold for $4.9 million! 
Now part of the collection of The Crystal Bridges Museum).

Anyway, it's always fun to see people's reactions when one of Rockwell's models enters the Museum. There were several photographs taken, autographs signed (she did the honors for my wife), and her family was happy to share more of her brush with fame.

Keefe actually just turned 90 years old... she looked great and still seemed pretty active... must be from all that hard work. I think she's actually more modest about her time working for Rockwell, so it must be a little tiring to make public appearances at a moment's notice. 

Me? I'm exhausted... as I mentioned, I haven't been sleeping that well this week, but I have also been pushing myself at work and outside on a few projects. A few setbacks, new things learned... but all in all, a decent week. I'm ready to just kick back tonight... ease into the long weekend.

Links:

The Pop History Dig: Norman Rockwell & Rosie The Riveter

Drawing Inspiration: Norman Rockwell in Stockbridge (documentary I created for Norman Rockwell Museum)