Well-Served

Happy ‪Veterans Day‬! Thanks to all who have and continue to serve our country. In recognition, Norman Rockwell Museum is offering FREE admission to veterans and active military through January 5, 2016, courtesy of Berkshire Bank. Tickets are available at all branch locations (they are everywhere now!).

Photo: Jeremy Clowe/Norman Rockwell Museum

This afternoon, the Museum is holding a special celebration, featuring artist talks, music, and a tour of our new exhibition, Love a Vet: Honoring Our Veterans. There is some exceptional work on display in this show, offering poignant commentary on the service of veterans, the challenges they face after returning from duty, and the very nature and necessity of war itself. I enjoyed speaking with several of the artists involved (some connected to the military themselves), during last our exhibition opening last Saturday; you can view some of my photos here on the Museum's Facebook page. 

Also currently on view is a rarely-seen Norman Rockwell painting that was created for the cover of The Saturday Evening Post. Intended as part of his World War II-era series centered around the fictional G.I. Willie Gillis, this 1941 painting never made it to publication, but ended up in the collection of Gardner High School (as a gift from the artist). A year ago, the school decided to sell the painting at auction, and they are using the money received to start a scholarship for their students. It's a nice story, and I have once again been called to provide commentary on Rockwell, the artwork and series; you can read my interview with Massachusetts State House News here. Although privately owned, Willie Gillis in Convoy is currently on loan to the Museum, and on display for all to see. 

Here is a short interview I conducted a few years back with the real "Willie Gillis," Rockwell model Robert Buck, before he passed away. A Vermont neighbor, the artist used Buck for 12 different paintings, including Willie Gillis in Convoy. Rockwell had to improvise when his model was actually drafted into the army and was no longer available to pose; he also wrote Buck a recommendation letter to help him get into college after his military service.

Please stop by the Museum to say hello, and give thanks to all past and present soldiers for their brave service!

Related Links:

"Rockwell Painting Brings Windfall for Gardner Schools," (includes interview) State House News Service/Boston Globe, November 9, 2015

"NRM and Berkshire Bank Present 'Love a Vet: Honoring Our Veterans,'" JC press release for Norman Rockwell Museum, November 4, 2015

"Rockwell Painting Kept In Storage in Gardner Heads To Auction," (includes interview) Boston Globe, May 8, 2014

Spreading The Word

It's been a busy end of the week at Norman Rockwell Museum, as we prepare for the opening of two exhibitions this Saturday: Masters of the Golden Age: Harvey Dunn and His Students and Love a Vet: Honoring Our Veterans. Both exhibitions are exceptional displays of talented illustration art; the Harvey Dunn exhibit, in particular, blew me away...  You can preview the show through a photos I took and posted on the Museum's Facebook page. 

Hot off the press! "Portfolio," NRM's members magazine,
November 2015-February 2016 issue. Courtesy: NRM

Looking to get further in-depth?  Tune into WDEL Radio's "Saturday HotSpot" show tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET, to hear me interviewed by host/comedian Frank Gregory for a full half-hour about the Museum's current and upcoming exhibitions and programs. I was a guest on Gregory's show (based in Wilmington, DE) a year ago, and he is quite the character...of course we hit it off. You can listen live here.

Finally, the latest issue of Portfolio, the Museum's member magazine, has arrived... my first as Editor-In-Chief! Designed by the talented Toni Kenny, with some writing provided by your's truly, I think it turned out great. I realize that I have been suitably prepared to manage the magazine, after all my years creating zines and comic books. If you're a Museum member, it should be in your hands soon. Interested in becoming a member (and who wouldn't want to be)? Learn more here.

Related Links: 

Norman Rockwell Museum website

WDEL 101.7 FM website

NRM + Berkshire Bank Present “Love a Vet: Honoring Our Veterans” (press release written by JC), November 4, 2015, Norman Rockwell Museum

Norman Rockwell Museum Presents “Masters of the Golden Age: Harvey Dunn and His Students”(press release written by JC), October 9, 2015, Norman Rockwell Museum

Fine-Tooning

Roz Chast details the fine art of blogging...
Courtesy: Roz Chast. All rights reserved.

The busy fall foliage season is winding down at Norman Rockwell Museum, and we celebrated in grand style yesterday with our "Back in Time" family cruise-in, featuring a classic car show and tribute to the 30th anniversary of Back To The Future. I was responsible for the latter, and couldn't be more pleased with how the event came together...it was one of the best days I have had in some time. I'll talk more about this, the other unique event I experience last Wednesday ("Future Day"), and provide a more thorough post about my all-time favorite movie, in the days to come.

For now, we bid farewell to Roz Chast: Cartoon Memoirs, which closes tomorrow, October 26. It has been a lot of fun working on this exhibition—not only creating the video (which one of my co-workers rather sincerely and kindly called, "a work of art in itself"), but spending some time with the artist herself. I had, once again, the unique opportunity to get to know a successful and influential artist, working in a medium I am passionate about. 

Last August I spent the afternoon with the cartoonist, driving her to New Haven, CT, for a special radio interview I arranged for her with my friends at WNPR Radio. Roz is not a big fan of driving, so I acted as her chauffeur for the day; I also appeared as a guest during a portion the segment, which you can listen to here. 

Keep Calm... and Mind The Cartoonist!
With Roz Chast and WNPR's Colin McEnroe.
Courtesy: Lydia Brown/WNPR

That late summer radio interview went well, gave us some great publicity for the exhibition, and I totally enjoyed Roz's company for the day; what I did not anticipate was feeling like I was in one of her cartoons! 

Before arriving at Roz's home/studio in southwestern Connecticut, I inadvertently drowned my smartphone (don't ask). Previously running ahead of schedule, I now found myself frantically trying to mop up the thoroughly drenched device...as the minutes began ticking. Trying my best to look upbeat, I finally arrived at the artist's home, and we hightailed it to New Haven. 

But the fun didn't stop there... suddenly we found ourselves stuck in mid-afternoon traffic, and the grey clouds started to form over my head, as I crossed my fingers that we would make it in time for the live interview. It worked out, with moments to spare, as we dashed from the nearby parking garage into the nearby studio, and proceeded with the interview. All went well and we caught an enjoyable lunch together, but when we returned to my car, I couldn't figure out how to get out of the garage...the gate was not accepting my credit cards, and there was no attendant in sight! We eventually tracked one down and got out of the "prison cell," and made our way back to Ridgefield. 

Not so fast, mister... after a few miles, we realized that my GPS was taking us in a completely wrong direction, and pulled over to attempt to reroute ourselves. At this point in the day, I wondered if I might find myself pictured in one of her quirky, New Yorker cartoons in the weeks to come... it was so neurotic... and totally me, not Roz (who was understanding, good-spirited, and funny as always). It reminded me of a question I had asked her last winter during our interview for the exhibition video. Here is an edited clip, where you hear me ask her about people recognizing themselves in her work:

Don't get me wrong... I was honored to spend the day with the artist, and we spent most of the afternoon talking about cartoons and comic art, which was my first real artistic passion and what I saw myself doing as a career in later years. What a wonderful opportunity and insight...it made me want to pick up a pencil and paper, and get cartooning again myself.

Related Links:

Roz Chast's website

"Roz Chast: Cartoon Memoirs" exhibition video

"Getting Graphic With Roz Chast," The Colin McEnroe Show, WNPR, August 19, 2015

It's a Living

The Berkshires' summer season has begun. In my opinion, there's no better time to visit the area. 

First impressions: entering the Berkshires from New York's Hudson Valley.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

A couple weeks ago I appeared as a guest on the WNPR morning show, Where We Live, extolling the virtues of a trip to Western Massachusetts and Norman Rockwell Museum. Not my smoothest interview, but I was happy to take part. I was joined by representatives from Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival (coincidentally, how I first learned of the area), Shakespeare & Company, and The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, where the radio interview was broadcast. 

WNPR is based in Hartford yet the show's host, John Dankosky, lives in an area of Connecticut not far from the Berkshires and so decided to broadcast his show live in Great Barrington, on the occasion of the Berkshire International Film Festival. It's interesting for me to recall that during my own years in Hartford, where I attended college, I had no concept of the Berkshires and frequently drove right through its outskirts (none the wiser) during trips to visit my family in the Hudson Valley. 

Go pro: courtesy "Out" magazine.

As I mentioned to Dankosky before we went on the air, my first impression of the Berkshires was that of a "summer camp" for artists, after being tipped off to area by a dancer who was studying at Jacob's Pillow. While working part-time in New York City and living in the Hudson Valley over ten years ago, I started making frequent trips to the Berkshires, enjoying its beautiful countryside, finding part-time work at the Pillow, performing with acting troupes in the area and, of course, working full-time at Norman Rockwell Museum. The rest, as they say, is history.

In the May issue of Out magazine, I offered further insight into my time spent in the area, and was featured as a "pro tip" on the joys of hiking the Berkshires' scenic hills. This is certainly a unique aspect of the area. 

As I mentioned in the WNPR interview, right down the street from the Rockwell Museum  you can take a hike up the mountain where Herman Melville was inspired to write Moby Dick. We talked about the other significant artists and activists who lived in the area, including Norman Rockwell, and theorized about what it was about the area that continues to draw such people. Following the interview, I drove a few miles away to finally visit the newly opened W.E.B. Du Bois homesite, dedicated to the influential American humanist and civil rights activist, who grew up in Great Barrington. Like much of the Berkshires, it was a pleasantly meditative stroll through both nature and history.

History happened here:
entrance to W.E.B. Du Bois homesite.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

They say the grass is always greener... for me, living in the Berkshires for a few years started to feel a little claustrophobic (especially during the winter), so I am happy to now be commuting from the nearby Capital Region. It's the best of both worlds. Due to a technical glitch, you'll hear my mic cut out at the end of the radio segment, but what I was trying to say is that the Berkshires is an easy drive from such areas as Albany, Boston, and New York City, and visitors are in for a real treat this summer (we just opened a show on New Yorker artist Roz Chast, and I'll write more about that shortly). Personally, I'm looking forward to the exhibition of Vincent Van Gogh's landscapes that will be on display at the Clark Art Institute... Van Gogh is one of my favorite artists, and what could be more fitting than a show about the great outdoors here in the Berkshires?

Related Links:

"Live from the Mahaiwe: Arts in the Berkshires," Where We Live, WNPR, May 29, 2015

"Spotlight on the Berkshires," Out Magazine, May 25, 2015

Berkshires.org

Cartoon Networking

Roz Chast in her Ridgefield, CT, studio, March 2015.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum.
All rights reserved.

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting cartoonist Roz Chast, whose humorous works have been appearing over 35 years in the pages of The New Yorker. Along with Norman Rockwell Museum's chief curator, I traveled to the artist's home in Connecticut to film an interview to be featured in our upcoming exhibition, Roz Chast: Cartoon Memories. Although it was Friday the 13th, I think we all felt lucky: the weather was feeling more comfortable, and I looked forward to another opportunity to create an exhibition video for the Museum.

Chast was also in good spirits: her memoir, Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? had just won "Best Autobiography" the night before from the National Book Critics Circle. I was told that this was the first time that an illustrated book has won the prestigious NBCC Award, and this added to other honors that Chast's graphic novel has picked up over the past year.

Leading up to the interview, I did a bit of research on the artist, whose work I was not familiar with (we only recently were gifted a subscription to The New Yorker). A longtime fan of comic books and cartoons (and practitioner of the art form myself), I wasn't sure what to make of Chast's quirky illustrations at first; she draws in a rather hastily, scribbled style, with liberal doses of sarcastic humor. By the time I was pouring through the fourth collection of her cartoons, I unfortunately had come down with a pretty nasty cold but suddenly found myself appreciating the style, which I learned was inspired by Charles Addams... it was sort of a release, if that makes sense. I asked her during the interview if making cartoons dealing with frustrating themes was therapeutic, and she heartily agreed.

Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? is Roz Chast's tale of caring for her parents  in their declining years. We talked a bit about her work on this more personal work, as well as her long history with The New Yorker. It was actually quite inspiring to hear her identify her limitations as a draftsman, followed by the surprisingly confident statement that she did not really care, and if she wanted to create cartoons she was going to. I thought this was unique to hear from an artist; you would think any hint of criticism would deter those of a sensitive bent. As I have gotten older, I have found myself getting much more perfectionistic about my drawing, which has unfortunately taken away the ease and enjoyment that I used to have when I was a kid, churning out mass numbers of doodles and comic books. Maybe working on this video documentary will be useful for me in other ways I had not expected...

Birds of a feather: Roz and her pet parrot.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for NRM.

Of course, the rest of my preparation for the interview was getting used to the Museum's new HD video camera, light kit, and accessories, recently made possible through some generous members of our National Council. I assembled a nice three-point lighting set up, and was pleased with how it all looked in my monitor. I'm never sure how the subjects will be in front of or behind the camera, but Chast was quite pleasant, and immediately offered to give us a tour of the house (including her two animated parrots), which I also filmed. We ended up in her studio, where I took some footage of her working on one of her latest cartoons.  All in all, it was a great day and all my preparation paid off considerably. I am now looking forward to the post-production, and have some ideas about incorporating some animation and other elements that could be fun.

Roz Chast: Cartoon Memories will be on view at Norman Rockwell Museum from June 6 through October 26, 2015. A special gala opening will be held on Saturday, June 6, with the chance to meet the artist. I found her to be a charming lady, so it should be fun working with her on this upcoming show.

Related Links:

Roz Chast's website

Roz Chast interview, November 1, 2014, Salon.com 

"Cartoonist Roz Chast Brings It Home," JC's NRM website blog, March 16, 2015

Roz Chast Draws-and Talks to-Alec Baldwin, March 17, 2015, WNYC

Talking Pictures

"Good evening Mr. and Mrs. America, and all the ships at seas"...
photo by Deborah Greene.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

This morning I spent some time back in front of a microphone, practicing my best "1940s radio voice" for some digital modules the Museum is working on. Basically, I was asked to record a letter from our archives, that had been written to Norman Rockwell back in 1948 by an executive involved with the production of his Lineman illustration for AT&T (the original painting is part of our permanent collection). The executive is asking Rockwell to make corrections to the work, in order to make it appear more accurate. Something about the formality of the letter reminded me of old audio you come across from those days, when public figures seemed to talk in an affected, clipped manner (why was that?). I think it was the right call.

Rockwell on the line... photo of NRM's George
Church with the original painting. 

The cordial yet firm reply from Rockwell was read by my dapper colleague George Church, who actually had a career in radio for many years (I always enjoy hearing George's stories of working in the Los Angeles market, interviewing Bobby Darin and the like). These digital modules, linked to paintings from the Museum's collection, will also include excerpts from video interviews I have conducted with Rockwell models over the years, and should be ready by the end of the year (most likely in the form of a mobile app).

Below is a further look at the Museum's archives and collections, courtesy of an interview I conducted with American Lifestyle TV last year. It's a little weird to see myself on the other side of the camera here, but my responses come across pretty solid (lucky me!).

Encore!

Exciting news to share: I made it into the finals of the karaoke competition at Bourbon Street Bar & Grill! Around 22 talented contestants took to the Colonie, NY venue's stage last Wednesday, singing to a full house on a cold, wintery night. With both friends and family there to cheer me on, I won myself a spot as one of the lucky ten finalists chosen to advance to the final round next Wednesday night. I say "lucky" because the competition was quite strong—there are some seriously talented singers in the Capital Region... I have my work cut out for me next week! Nevertheless, I have been doing my fair share of practicing, and my stage presence continues to receive high marks... thanks to everyone for the continued support and well-wishes.

Set to rock in Rio! A-ha photographed by
Just Loomis, December 2014. Photo © and courtesy
www.a-ha.com

Speaking of music awards, I was reminded that last week marked the 24th anniversary of my favorite band, A-ha setting a Guinness World Record for largest concert attendance during their show at Rio de Janeiro's Maracanã Stadium on January 26, 1991. Over 198,000 people attended the concert, which was presented as part of the Rock in Rio II festival. Here is a link to a video of me interviewing band member Magne Furuholmen about the experience, back in 2005.

Brazil's Rock in Rio festival began in 1985, the same year that A-ha had their worldwide breakthrough with the song "Take On Me" and debut album Hunting High and Low (to say those works made an impact on me is an understatement). Late last year it was announced that this year's Rock in Rio will celebrate the 30th anniversary of both festival and band, by inviting A-ha back for a reunion concert. The Norwegian trio, which officially disbanded at the end of 2010, will play together once again for this special September show in the country where they were a household name, with a string of top charting hits. You can read more about the upcoming concert on the band's website.

With friend at Seattle's Music Experience Project, October 2014
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

As far as I have heard, this reunion concert will be a one-off, but who knows... maybe 
A-ha will take us on once more?(there is an offshoot Rock in Rio festival taking place in the U.S. this May but... I won't hold my breath.

Ok, back to my own practicing...

Related Links:

"A-ha Return to Rock in Rio for a Very Special 30th Anniversary Concert," press release, December 4, 2014, A-ha.com

A-ha - Rock in Rio 2, Maracanã, January 26, 1991 (news report), MTV News

A-ha at Rock in Rio II, Brazil, January 26, 1991 (full concert)

Happy Birthday, Mr. Rockwell!

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978), "Portrait of Norman Rockwell
Painting 'The Soda Jerk,'" 1953. Norman Rockwell Museum Digital
Collections. ©Norman Rockwell Family Agency. All rights reserved.

It's Norman Rockwell's birthday—America and my Dad's favorite illustrator would have been 121 years old! Join us, starting at 1:30 p.m. today, at Norman Rockwell Museum for cake and a look at highlights from each decade of the artist's career.

If you can't make it to Stockbridge, enjoy this article I was asked to write for biography.com (cool website), sharing interesting facts about some of the artist's most iconic works. 

As if that wasn't enough, last month I spoke at length about Rockwell's career and the Museum's 2015 season on WGBY's Connecting Point. My friends at the Springfield, Massachusetts PBS affiliate interviewed me on a bone-chilling winter afternoon at nearby Naumkeag (the beautiful 19th century estate, formerly owned by lawyer Joseph Choate). Here's the segment:

The Museum and I certainly appreciate all the great exposure— so here's to you, Norman!

Related Links:

"5 Amazing Stories Behind Norman Rockwell's Illustrations," Jeremy Clowe, Biography.com

"Natural-Born Talent," Jeremy Clowe, Norman Rockwell Museum website

"On the Road in South County: Norman Rockwell Museum," January 21, 2015, Connecting Point, WGBY-TV

Remembering The Father of Video Games

Photo of Ralph Baer in his Manchester, NH, home,October 2011. 
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

I was sorry to hear about the recent passing of Ralph H. Baer (1922-2014). Considered "the father of video games," Baer held over 150 patents in the U.S. alone, and was responsible for the creation of such early games as Ping-Pong in the 1960s; and Odyssey, the first home video game console, in the 1970s.

As someone who was obsessed with video games in middle school/early high school, I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to travel to Manchester, New Hampshire in October 2011, to meet Baer and conduct a videotaped interview in his home/studio for Norman Rockwell Museum (where he had been an art donor). Then 89 years old, Baer seemed as active as ever, still tinkering in his studio and trying out new ideas. He was also quite generous with his time, offering a quite thorough interview and explanation of his early experiments in television engineering, which lead to the idea of interactive video gaming. Here is a quick edit I created yesterday of some of the footage: 

Yes, that's Baer trying out Simon, which he also created. I remember being quite taken with that musical toy as a kid, and it's pretty wild to realize that this pioneering engineer also advanced the electronic toy and greeting card industry—I enjoyed having the opportunity to literally see his creativity at work during our meeting. 

Photo by Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Five decades later, video games are a billion dollar industry (today it's my pre-teen nephew hooked on such games as Minecraft). It's nice that Baer had the opportunity to see just how far his ideas had come; it was an honor for me to spend some time getting to know him.

Related Links:

"Video game designer Ralph Baer invented your childhood," Washington Post, December 8, 2014

"Portrait of a Game-Changer," my 2011 article for Norman Rockwell Museum

Keep on Dancing

Marge Champion dances with Norton Owen,
Director of Preservation, Jacob's Pillow,
at Norman Rockwell Museum's June 2013
gala. Photo by Jeremy Clowe for
Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

Happy Birthday to dance legend, Marge Champion— still the fairest of them all at age 95!

I had the great fortune of meeting this Astaire Award-winner a year ago, in connection with Norman Rockwell Museum's exhibition, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic. At age 14, Marge served as a live model for the lead character in Walt Disney's first feature-length, animated feature, which was something of a risk for the animator at the time. Her expressive moments can be seen in the groundbreaking film, as well as subsequent Disney animated features (Pinocchio, Fantasia), however her fairytale was just beginning—she went on to a highly successful career as a dancer/performer, appearing on stage and screen, including a popular series of movie musicals with then-husband Gower Champion in the 1950s.

In April of 2013, I visited Marge at her apartment in New York City, to conduct an interview for the Museum about her showbiz experiences. Needless to say, it was a great pleasure, and this past June I received "honorable mention" from the New England Museum Association Publications Competition Awards as one of the designers responsible for the marketing/pr materials for the exhibition, which included an edit of the video. The true honor, however, was being able to get to know this inspiring artist, with an age-defying spirit: "keep on dancing" is her advice... and I am taking note: watch for my moves in this fun promo video that my Museum colleagues and I took part in for Berkshire Visitors Bureau:

Related Links:

"Dancing on Air," blog post, June 17, 2013

"Fairest of Them All," blog post, April 7, 2013

Shoot the Moon

AP Photo/NASA/Neil Armstrong

Today marks the 45th anniversary of Apollo 11's moon landing, which took place on July 20, 1969. Born exactly a year later, I grew up during a time when many of NASA's space race achievements had already been realized, but I think my generation has always had stars in our eyes... dreaming about what a trip to space might feel like never gets old.

Last month I had a chance to speak with one of the men aboard that historic Apollo mission: Buzz Aldrin was the second man to ever walk on the moon, following the first steps of fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong, who passed away in 2012. Aldrin and I had a rather lengthy phone conversation in June to discuss a potential project that would commemorate the anniversary—it was, of course, fascinating to hear about history from one of the men who made it. Lately, the pioneer has been encouraging further space exploration, including the idea of a permanent human presence on Mars (which he wrote about earlier this month). 

So, I'll keep you posted on any further developments about our possible collaboration (who knows, maybe I'll be blogging from the red planet at some point). In the meantime, here is a short clip from the video I created for Norman Rockwell Museum's 2013/2014 exhibition, Wendell Minor's America. In the clip, Minor talks about his work with Aldrin, illustrating the astronaut's two picture books, Reaching for the Moon (2005) and Look to the Stars (2009)—these two books are great for us "children" who weren't around to witness man's first steps on the moon, but surely benefitted from it. 

Related Links:

http://buzzaldrin.com

http://www.minorart.com

Tribute To a Jazz Knight

Ellie Shearing (center) and members of Berkshire Gateway Jazz
during a May 2014 interview regarding her husband, Sir George
Shearing. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

This weekend marks the third annual Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend, to be held in my former town of Lee, Massachusetts. This year's festival, which runs from Thursday, June 5 through Saturday, June 7, will include a tribute to the late jazz pianist, Sir George Shearing.

Last March I was hired by Berkshire Gateway Preservation Inc. to travel to New York City, and film an interview with Shearing's widow, Ellie Shearing, in the beautiful apartment the couple shared near the City's Central Park/Museum Mile. The completed video, with Ms. Shearing recalling her famous husband's life and career (in front of his grand, Bösendorfer piano), will kick off this weekend's festival, with a free screening at the Lee Library, starting at 6 p.m. (the video will also be airing on CTSB-TV).

"The sounds of Shearing": behind the scenes.
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights
reserved.

I enjoyed putting this latest music documentary together. It was interesting to learn about Shearing, who triumphed over the odds (and blindness) to become one of the most influential piano players in the world of jazz, with a distinct style that became known as the "Shearing Sound." I had a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the Shearings' home/ recording studio, and heard stories of the many jazz greats who connected with the pianist over the years. It turned out that he and Ellie used to live part-time in Lee, Massachusetts, so this weekend's events seem especially fitting. 

Friday's concert, to be held at the newly restored First Congregational Church in Lee, will feature The Sounds of Shearing, a tribute band to the jazz legend, with members of George Shearing's original Quintet. Proceeds from the concert will help benefit the efforts of the Berkshire Gateway Preservation. For more information about the festival and how to purchase tickets, visit the Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend website.

Related Links (updated June 6):

"Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend: Shearing ensemble honors a master," Berkshire Eagle, June 6, 2014

"Berkshire Gateway Jazz Weekend tribute to George Shearing to open summer music scene," Berkshire Eagle, May 27, 2014

www.georgeshearing.net

Pitch Perfect

Left to right: Sherm Safford, Norman Rockwell's
original "Rookie," ready for his close-up with
CBS correspondent Lee Cowan, during visit
to Norman Rockwell Museum, May 15, 2014.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell
Museum. All rights reserved.

Last week producers from CBS News visited Norman Rockwell Museum to film a segment I coordinated and originally pitched (no pun intended) regarding Norman Rockwell's 1957 painting, The Rookie (Red Sox Locker Room). You can read more about the origins of the shoot in this extensive Berkshire Eagle article, which I was interviewed for.

This Thursday, May 22, watch CBS Evening News to view the segment, which will include interviews with the painting's original model, Sherm Safford, and tours of the Museum's galleries, archives, and Rockwell's Stockbridge studio, located on our grounds. 

I will write more about the show, the Christie's auction of the painting (to be held on the same day), and my continued efforts as a spokesperson for the Museum. As they say, keep your eye on the ball... and watch this space!

Related Links:

CBS Evening News website

"Rockwell's 'The Rookie' to be featured on CBS News," Berkshire Eagle, May 19, 2014

We've Got Game!

Clue: This popular arts organization will be highlighted as one of the categories on this Wednesday's episode of Jeopardy!

If you answered "What is Norman Rockwell Museum?" You are correct! If you also guessed that yours truly was responsible for landing the Museum on the popular, nationally syndicated TV game show, you have made it to the bonus round, my friend!

This is "Jeopardy"... live from Norman Rockwell's studio!
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

Last summer I was watching the show at my local gym, and noticed that the next category was "Walt Disney"—I took note, since we were showing an exhibition at the Museum on the art of Disney's Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs. The clues in this category were unique, since they were filmed on-location at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco; that had me even more intrigued, since they were the ones who had organized our summer show. 

So I reached out to the Disney Museum, to see if they might have a contact at Jeopardy that I could try and get in touch with, and pitch the idea of a category on "Norman Rockwell." As I explained, the nature of Rockwell's illustrations; inspired by history, current events, favorite pastimes, and art; and the way that the artist's popularity has endured over the years made it seem like the perfect idea for a category—I was happy to hear that the game show's producers agreed.

Sarah Whitcomb Foss and Jimmy
McGuire, members of the "Jeopardy!"
Clue Crew, observe Rockwell's
"Golden Rule" at Norman Rockwell
Museum, December 2013.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman
Rockwell Museum. All rights
reserved.

Last December producers and members of Jeopardy's Clue Crew visited the Museum and filmed several segments in the Museum's galleries. The clues, which I helped create, were staged in front of many of Rockwell's iconic paintings from the Museum's permanent collection, and in the artist's original studio. It was a very professional crew that visited that day, and the production was quite streamlined (I only wish that Alex Trebek, an apparent art-lover, could have made it out to Stockbridge). I learned a good deal watching the crew, and conferring with the show's dedicated researchers. 

So this Wednesday, April 30, I get to see how this entire shoot, which I helped coordinate, plays out in the context of the show (I can already hear the theme music). This is actually the first of several categories filmed at the Museum that will air over the next few months. As they say, "check your local listings"... 

And if you can't wait until Wednesday, check out this interview I conducted today with WAMC Radio. Let me know what you think of the show, and how many questions you get right at home. Cue the theme music, Alex...

Related Links (updated 4/30/14):

Jeopardy! website

"This Is... The Norman Rockwell Museum To Be Showcased on JEOPARDY!" WAMC Radio, April 28, 2014 

"Rockwell Museum to be featured on 'Jeopardy'," Schenectady Gazette, April 30, 2014

Family Tree

Family has been on the mind this past week, as Sarah and I have attended both a wedding and funeral for our loved ones. It strikes me that whether the occasion is sad or happy, we are blessed to have some wonderfully supportive relations. 

Author Deborah Solomon, artist Jarvis Rockwell, and Norman Rockwell
Museum Director/CEO Laurie Norton Moffatt at the book launch of
"American Mirror: The Life and Art of Norman Rockwell," October 19, 2013.
Jarvis Rockwell suggested Solomon write a book about his father's work after
reading a "New York Times" art review she created about Norman Rockwell.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe. ©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

At work the topic has trended towards family lately as well, as we anticipate the release of a new biography on Norman Rockwell, and close an exhibition of the work of his oldest son. On Saturday night the worlds collided, as artist Jarvis Rockwell was one of the invited guests for the official launch of author Deborah Solomon's new book, American Mirror: The Life and Art of Norman Rockwell. Spending the last decade working on the biography, the celebrated art critic made extensive use of Norman Rockwell Museum's archives in the process. From the brief excerpt I have found time to read, her research offers new insight into Norman Rockwell's artistic career and personal life, and I imagine some of her thoughts will prove controversial to a public that still reveres the illustrator's work.

Norman Rockwell's autobiography, "My Adventures
As An Illustrator," signed by the artist for my father.
Forty years later, I added the illustrator's son Tom
Rockwell's signature to the book, following an interview
I conducted with the writer, who helped his father
in penning the 1960 release. Photo by Jeremy Clowe.
All rights reserved.

As stated before, although I studied illustration in college, I was not really aware or a fan of Norman Rockwell's work before I started working at the Museum a decade ago. You could say I was doing my own "research" when I took the job: an effort to understand more about the tastes of my late father, who had amassed quite a collection of Rockwell books, and even corresponded with the artist as a teenager. I guess to some degree I understand the attraction: my father once considered becoming an illustrator before starting a career as an industrial designer, and the themes of tolerance and community pictured in Rockwell's work are values that my family continues to hold strong.

Solomon brought up some interesting points during her lecture on Saturday night, but I found myself most sympathetic in how Rockwell's son Jarvis must feel with having such a famous, larger than life father, and hearing so many personal details about his family. 

I have interviewed many friends, family, and colleagues of Norman Rockwell over the last 13 years, but his son Jarvis always remained elusive. I know the artist had a troubled relationship with his father, which he made more than clear to me over the phone several years ago, flatly denying my request for an interview about the subject. When we mounted our summer exhibition of Jarvis' work, I wondered how things were going to play out, and felt a degree of sensitivity was needed in how to publicize the show within the context of our Museum. 

Jarvis Rockwell working on "Maya V," his on-site
installation of action figures at Norman Rockwell
Museum. Photo by Jeremy Clowe.
©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

As Jarvis worked on an on-site installation (certainly a unique way for visitors to interact with an artist), I figured it was a good time to approach him again about doing an interview. This time, however, I wanted to talk to him about his own work-- the conceptual drawings, found objects and toy sculptures that had made such a presence in our galleries over the past several months. Luckily, I found him and his lovely wife Nova most accommodating. 

Borrowing an HD camera and equipment, I was back in "one-man band" mode, attempting to juggle interviewing, filming and coordination of our meeting during the brief window available before the Museum's regular business hours... add to that a little nervousness in how to deal with the topic of his father, should it come up.

My concerns were soon put to rest, as I found Jarvis to be a very open and entertaining interview. He obviously delighted in talking about his work, and offered me a walk-through of the 60-year retrospective that hung on the walls before us. It went so well, in fact, that we ran out of time to talk about all of the work, and his wife Nova came up to me afterwards to report that he felt it was possibly the best interview he had ever been involved in.

The artist very kindly offered to meet with me the following week to continue the interview. Feeling a little more confident I decided to up the production value, and added some sweet LED lights to provide better illumination in our galleries. Setting up for an on-camera interview is no easy task, but the added preparation time was well worth it. 

During the interview Jarvis told me he felt very comfortable talking with me, which was nice to hear. I had received similar comments while talking to musicians, artists, and my own family on-camera over the years, but it meant a lot to hear from someone I wasn't certain I would ever have the opportunity to interview.



It's interesting how your perceptions of people can change. I really enjoyed learning about Jarvis' artistic process, and didn't find him intimidating at all. Hearing about his "Maya V" pyramid of action figures, which I helped assemble, made me smile− the Rockwell family seems to share a certain puckish sense of humor. It was also enlightening to hear about his thoughts about the after-life, which is a theme he is currently foucsing on in his work. During our interview he remarked how he found it interesting to revisit his older work, and I appreciated the opportunity to talk about it with him. 

With Jarvis Rockwell: he thought the second
week of interviews went even better.
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Jarvis was also candid about his father, and their difficult relationship. "I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to be part of a different family," he announced. What I also sensed was a certain degree of peace with where he came from. They say you can't choose your family, and I think he has found his own way, working hard to express his own creativity. No doubt having the exhibition in his father's museum offered him further opportunity for reflection. He seemed pleased with it all, and I was happy to have played a part in his experience.

Legacy is no easy thing to sort out, especially for an artist. A supportive family is a great help, but I have come to understand that the true work is up to you.

Related Links:

Jarvis Rockwell Gallery

"Jarvis, Son of Norman, is a Rockwell in His Own Right," Babble.com, September 6, 2013

"An Evening with Deborah Solomon" NRM press release (written by JC)


"Inside America's Great Romance With Norman Rockwell," Smithsonian, October 2013