Did Her Part

Mary Keefe ("Rosie") signing autographs
at Norman Rockwell Museum, July 2013.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell
Museum. All rights reserved.

I was sad to learn the news that Mary Doyle Keefe, the model for Norman Rockwell's iconic Rosie The Riveter painting, died this past week at the age of 92. I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Mary on several occasions during my time at Norman Rockwell Museum, and she was always quite pleasant and modest about her experience posing for the artist. 

Like many of Rockwell's models, Mary was also one of his neighbors during the years the artist lived in Arlington, Vermont. She was just 19 and the town telephone operator, when Rockwell called and asked her if she could pose for his latest painting. "You knew he used a lot of people in Arlington," she recalled during a 2002 video interview I conducted with her for the Museum. "You just knew that that's what he did. So I said 'sure' and went down, and sat there for maybe two hours or so. Gene Pelham, his photographer, took all the pictures." 

Several weeks later she received a call from Rockwell, apologizing for changing her petite frame into the hefty, muscular figure (inspired by Michelangelo's painting of the Prophet Isaiah on the ceiling of the Sistene Chapel). She seemed to take it in stride, despite the occasional ribbing. The illustration appeared on the May 29, 1943 cover of The Saturday Evening Post, becoming a beloved symbol for women who joined the workforce during World War II. 

It is amazing to see how Norman Rockwell's images continue to resonate to this day. Shortly after hearing the news of Mary's passing, I started to receive numerous press calls at the Museum looking for comment and more information. Today's New York Times features an article, which includes excerpts from my 2002 interview; and I have also shared audio from that interview with such radio outlets as WAMC, our local NPR station, as well as Hartford's WTIC (coincidentally, where I once interned during college). 

A blog post I created on our website has been cited by numerous sources, and my Facebook post about the news has set a record for us (currently reaching over 2 million 200 thousand people, with over 9700 likes and 15,470 shares). Our Facebook fans have been posting comments of appreciation and even archival photos of family members who served as real-life "Rosies" or modern-day tributes. 

With "Rosie," August 2012 at Norman Rockwell Museum.
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

From my years of conducting videotaped oral histories with Rockwell's models, I can offer a certain level of insight about the artist and his collaborators, and that is a great feeling. It is also satisfying to be able to share the story of everyday people, who have found themselves in extraordinary situations. 

As I told a reporter from the Nashua Telegraph this week, "I think several people from the Arlington area were unsuspecting of the legacy they would suddenly be carrying with them. They became part of Norman Rockwell’s world and became more aware of this lasting impact as generations went on." As a sweet side note, Mary's granddaughter Hillary went on to intern with us at Norman Rockwell Museum.

The last time I saw Mary was in 2013, when she attended one of the Museum's model reunions (her arrival always seemed treated like "royalty" by our visitors). She looked great and was gracious as always, signing autographs and posing for photos. A rather reserved woman, I think she just accepted this larger than life "celebrity" that she became associated with, and was happy to share her memories with an appreciative public. "It was a privilege to be able to sit for Norman Rockwell and be able to do all these things, because he was quite an artist," she told me. "I got quite a bit out of it."


Related Links:

"Mary Keefe, Model for Rockwell’s ‘Rosie the Riveter,’ Dies at 92," The New York Times, April 24, 2015

"One-time Nashua resident who posed as 'Rosie the Riveter' dies," Nashua Telegraph (subscription only), April 24, 2015

"Rockwell Museum Remembers Mary Doyle Keefe, a.k.a. 'Rosie the Riveter" (video interview), Time Warner Cable News, Albany, NY, April 23, 2015

"Rockwell Museum Remembers Rosie The Riveter Model" (includes audio clips/interview), WAMC Northeast Public Radio, April 23, 2015

My Facebook Post for Norman Rockwell Museum (includes photo and fan tributes), April 22, 2015

"Remembering Rosie The Riveter," my blog post for Norman Rockwell Museum website, April 22, 2015

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

Home Run!

I kicked off the Memorial Day weekend in grand style last Thursday, by tuning in to the CBS Evening News to catch their segment on Norman Rockwell's 1957 painting, "The Rookie," which I pitched and coordinated for Norman Rockwell Museum. Just in time for Christie's auction of the painting, which sold for $22.5 million that morning, the CBS segment was nicely produced, and original "Rookie" model, Sherm Safford was the perfect spokesman. You can view the clip below, and on the CBS News website:

As expected, last week kept me busy with press regarding Norman Rockwell's work at auction, and I fielded numerous calls from news outlets looking for perspective on the artist's enduring popularity; I thought journalist Karen Brown summed up this particular moment quite nicely in a segment for New England Public Radio, for which I was interviewed. Another news story I helped facilitate appeared in last Saturday's New York Times, including comments from our Museum's director. 

As I pointed out to The Berkshire Eagle in their May 16th article about the CBS Evening News segment, even though Norman Rockwell Museum did not own these recents works on the auction block, being consulted for these high-profile stories is "fortunate for us because it reminds people about what was so special about his [Rockwell's] work, and the fact that they can come here to see original artwork and learn more."

Interviewing Sherm Safford, Norman Rockwell's "Rookie," in the
Flower City. Photo by Sarah Clowe. ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Keeping this in mind, I contacted some of the press in my own hometown of Rochester, New York, before heading there for the long, holiday weekend—I figured that they might be interested in knowing that Mr. Safford has been a long-time resident of the area. WROC-TV, Rochester's CBS affiliate, took the bait, and visited Safford and me in the former Rockwell model's home the day after the auction. The station, which I used to work at back in the late '90s as an editor/camera man, filmed interviews about Rockwell's legacy with both me and Safford, and I brought along several props (the artist's reference photos for the painting, "Rookie" products from our Museum store) to help bring the story to life visually. The segment is scheduled to run next Tuesday, June 3, on the station's newscast (more details soon).

After we were finished with the WROC interview, I sat down with Mr. Safford myself, and conducted a videotaped interview for the Museum's archives. This fulfilled a goal we set during our first meeting at Rochester's George Eastman House back in August 7, 2011, when I interviewed Safford during my lecture about Norman Rockwell's models, and the number of videotaped oral histories I have conducted with them for the Museum over the years. It was fun to capture Safford's emotions the day after the heady auction and experience of viewing himself on national TV news the night before. You can listen to our original 2011 Eastman House interview here:

  

The rest of the Memorial Day weekend was spent catching up with family and friends, and making it to two magnificent Rochester landmarks: Highland Park, site of the Lilac Festival (we were just in time to witness the lilacs in full bloom), and the Memorial Art Gallery. The art museum was featuring an exhibit on Henri Matisse as printmaker, in addition to its gem of a permanent collection (which includes everything from Egyptian artifacts, classical paintings and sculpture, to modern art); we were also lucky to catch a lecture on the Hudson River School and plein air painting, provided by the curator of Olana, the historic home of Frederic Edwin Church, in Hudson, New York— it's funny that we traveled out to Rochester for a talk about art created in our area of the state, but it was informative for both me and Sarah (we have painted onsite at Olana ourselves in the past).

Home grown: lilacs in bloom at Highland Park, Rochester, NY, 
May 2014. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

This week I'm back in the Capital Region/Berkshires, tackling press and preparing for Norman Rockwell Museum's upcoming exhibition on the illustration art of Edward Hopper (opening on June 7). Outside of work, I'm finishing up a couple independent video productions... trying to race against the clock. Indeed, taking a few minutes to write here feels like a welcome "seventh inning stretch."

Related Links:

"How Norman Rockwell drafted his 'Rookie,'" CBS Evening News, May 22, 2014

"Rockwell's 'The Rookie' to be featured on CBS News," Berkshire Eagle, May 16, 2014

"Rockwell Paintings Bring Windfalls - On Two Different Scales," New England Public Radio, May 22, 2014

Spring Training

This week went by fast, and seemed have a common thread... at least when it came to my day job.

Coming up for air... ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

It actually started late last week, as I received a call from a writer with The Detroit Free Press; he was looking for a comment from Norman Rockwell Museum about Jackie Wells, a woman whose portrait Norman Rockwell had painted during his time in Massachusetts. It was around the late 1950s when Rockwell started attending Peggy Best's Sketch Club in Stockbridge, and one of the models the class was to paint/draw from life was Ms. Wells. Not being one of the illustrator's commercial works it seemed a rather obscure inquiry, but having been at the Museum for so many years, it didn't take me long to know exactly who the reporter was referring to.

Wells' portrait is one of the few nudes that Rockwell is known to have created during this mature point in his career; the fact that the model was African-American also makes it stand out during a time when few of the subjects he depicted for the conservative Saturday Evening Post featured people of color (they actually denied him that opportunity). I enjoyed speaking with this reporter, who made me consider how the work prefaced Rockwell's depiction of more diverse subjects during the following decade—I felt I had a lot to offer in terms of thoughtful reflection, and it was interesting to learn about how the model herself went on to inspire people (particularly those battling cancer in the Detroit area). 

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978), "The Rookie (Red Sox
Locker Room)," 1957. Norman Rockwell Museum
Digital Collections. ©SEPS: Curtis Publishing,
Indianapolis, IN

This week began with the news that two of the models for Rockwell's humorous Saturday Evening Post cover, "The Rookie (Red Sox Locker Room)" had been celebrated as guests of honor at Boston's Fenway Park. The occasion was to highlight the upcoming Christie's auction of the painting, and what better place than the landmark stadium used by the Red Sox? I knew the painting was to be displayed this week at Fenway, but had I know that the two living models—Sherm Safford and Frank Sullivan—would also be there, I might have insisted on attending. 

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Safford a couple times; the first being my August 2011 lecture at the George Eastman House on the topic of my videotaped oral histories with Rockwell models. Safford was the main character, "the rookie" in the 1957 painting, and a high school student from Pittsfield when the artist called on him to pose; he now lives in my hometown of Rochester, New York, and was kind enough to do a live interview with me during the lecture. We have kept in touch, and reconnected during the news about the upcoming auction.

I called Safford the day after the Fenway event, after seeing articles about him and Sullivan (a former Red Sox pitcher) during the event. Interestingly enough, the two had never met before, as Rockwell posed Safford separately from the Sox players who also traveled from Boston to his Stockbridge studio. It sounds like he and Sullivan a grand time at Fenway, and it's always nice to learn how these former models are treated. I had been meaning to get in touch with Sullivan, who now lives in Hawaii, and the event made me realize that there was no time like the present.

I gave the Red Sox Hall of Famer a call, inviting him to visit the Museum in Stockbridge if he had the opportunity during his week-long visit in Boston. Unfortunately he was not able, so I inquired about the idea of meeting him in Beantown to record his story, to which he was agreeable. It seemed like a worthwhile pursuit, since a videotaped interview with this former Major Leaguer would add to our important collection of historical recordings, and Boston is a hell of a lot closer than Hawaii.

Cutting to the chase, it didn't happen. During the time it took to seek approval on the meeting, Sullivan went ahead and made other plans (sometimes I wonder if I misunderstand the organization's needs or expectations). Too bad, because the research I conducted on him seemed interesting, and I enjoyed our brief chats on the phone. We might still have the opportunity to talk down the road, but I imagine this may have been my last window to do so in-person. Certainly the news of the upcoming sale of Sullivan's painting will be keeping me busy in the weeks to come.

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978), "Willie Gillis in Convoy," 1941.
©Norman Rockwell Family Agency. Courtesy of Sotheby's.

At the same time, out of nowhere, I received an inquiry about another painting going up for auction this month. This time it was a work I wasn't really familiar with, at least not in finished form. In 1941, Rockwell created a new illustration for his popular Willie Gillis series for the Post. Centered around the escapades of the fictional World War II recruit, I knew the series and had even interviewed the original model Bob Buck; I also knew that there was one unpublished illustration for the series that existed as a detailed charcoal study (the image in question).  What I learned was that Rockwell had also completed a fully rendered oil on canvas painting of "Willie Gillis in Convoy," and that it had been in the possession of Gardner High School since the 1950s. A beautifully executed work, this was quite the discovery, and a nice story about how the town is looking to auction off the work for needed funds to support a school scholarship.

Lo and behold, I'm doing more radio and print interviews, and on the front page of today's Boston Globe, talking about the painting and Rockwell's lasting legacy. It was a nice feeling to see my name and title appear so prominently in this major metropolitan newspaper, and one of the other interviews has been circulating through national publications courtesy of The Associated Press.

It felt good to offer my insight and interest for all of these intriguing stories... so why did I end the day feeling largely unfulfilled at work? 

Catching it while I can...
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

My "moment of Zen" this past week was found away from my desk, running around photographing and filming the spring flowers starting to bloom on our campus. With all my other obligations, it is hard not to feel self-conscious about taking some time to attend to my own creativity. I'm not sure some of my colleagues get it, but it does require special focus to get it right, even for projects intended to benefit the Museum. The magnolia trees are beautiful but fleeting, so I knew I had a short window of opportunity to capture them; the idea is to include a few shots in a planned promotional video highlighting the Museum's year-round offerings... it was nice to give myself the time, and there must be a way to operate similarly in the coming months... who knows what the following day will bring? 

Media Collection:

"Rockwell Painting Kept in Storage in Gardner Heads to Auction," Boston Globe, May 8, 2014

"Norman Rockwell Painting Found at Gardner High School Heads To Auction," WBZ-Radio, May 8, 2014

"Adventurous Spirit of Woman Who Posed for Norman Rockwell Inspires Cancer Survivors," Detroit Free Press, May 6, 2014

"Rockwell Painting Shown at Fenway," Associated Press, May 5, 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

Pictures For the American People

Photo of family taking part in this year's U.S. Naturalization
Ceremony, held at Norman Rockwell Museum. Photo by Jeremy Clowe
for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

So we continue into our next busy season at Norman Rockwell Museum. I have to say, the Fall is really a glorious time to visit the Berkshires— the colorful foliage is an artistic display in itself.

This past weekend I helped out with another U.S. citizenship naturalization ceremony at the Museum. This was our second time hosting (in partnership with the Berkshire Immigrant Center), and I'm really proud that we have gotten involved with such a significant event. It's hard to beat Norman Rockwell's artwork (in this case, The Four Freedoms) as an appropriate backdrop to welcome new American citizens; it's also inspiring to meet these individuals who have traveled so far (Pakistan, Ghana, Colombia, etc.) and worked so hard to become part of our country. With all the recent uncertainty about the U.S. economy and foreign relations (i.e. Syria), it is a reminder of how much the world still admires our country. And what joy on these new citizens' faces... I filmed and took photos of the event— you can view some of the latter on the Museum's Facebook page.

Visitors interact with the exhibition, "Norman Rockwell: Happily
Ever After." Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell
Museum. All rights reserved.

This morning I'm helping to run our first live Google Art Talk. The online chat, which begins at 11 a.m. ET, will focus on Norman Rockwell's artistic influences— two of our curators will lead the discussion and I will be running their visuals for them. It looks really interesting, and I urge you to sit in or catch the recorded lecture, which will be archived on YouTube. I have spent the past couple months coordinating our involvement in this event; I learned about these new online art talks being held in Google Plus' Hangouts, and had approached the company about taking part. It's a live event, so hopefully it will go off without a hitch... similar to our involvement in the Google Art Project— read more about that initiative, which I also helped coordinate, here.

And speaking of technology, we had another nice article about our current initiatives, including today's Art Talk and our recent foray into QR code-enhanced exhibitions; I am quoted in this Berkshire Eagle article written by my friend/journalist Jenn Smith— I appreciated the mention of my video interviews, which are included in the exhibit.

Photo by Ben Garver for "The Berkshire Eagle."
All rights reserved.

Looking ahead, I'm getting ready to tackle my next exhibition video (Wendell Minor's America) and expand on some of our video production capabilities. In the meantime, I continue to play the part of spokesman— this week I conducted a tour and some interviews with travel writers visiting from Austria, and I have a short, live interview about the Museum scheduled for WSBS Radio this Friday, September 13, at 8:15 a.m. 

As if that wasn't enough, here is a link to a recent interview I gave to O Globo, a popular newspaper in Brazil. The article looks at the increasing popularity of Norman Rockwell, and the Museum's efforts to continue to spread the word about his art with an international audience. It's fun to see my words translated into Portuguese... heck, I'd be happy to travel to South America to take this global outreach one step further!...

Related Links:

Google Art Talk

2013 U.S.Citizenship Naturalization Ceremony (photos by JC), Norman Rockwell Museum Facebook page

"Culture a Click Away," Berkshire Eagle, September 6, 2013

"Retrato Do Século XX," Globo a Mais, August 16, 2013


"Pintura de ilustrador de revistas é a mais cara do acervo da Amazon Art," O Globo, August 18, 2013

Cracking The Code

I had a text from my Uncle the other night, saying that he heard me on the radio. Yeah, it's a new age... 

Time to replace magnifying glass with smartphone?...
“Art Critic,” Norman Rockwell, 1955.
Norman Rockwell Museum Collections.
©SEPS: Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN

The occasion was an interview I gave to WAMC, the Albany, NY, NPR affiliate, about local museums' use of technology. It was a perfect time to again highlight our new exhibition, Norman Rockwell: Happily Ever After, which offers visitors the chance to use their phones/tablets to access enhanced content related to the artwork (including my videotaped interviews). This is made possible through QR code links, which really seem to be everywhere nowadays... Sarah was just commenting how she found them on grapes recently in the grocery store. Seriously... grapes?

Anyway, it's an interesting radio segment− you also get to hear a couple of the model interviews I have conducted at the Museum over the years. 

Like the recent Wall Street Journal article, I was interested to hear what other organizations are initiating in terms of technology. The delightfully rural Hancock Shaker Village has even begun installing computer kiosks and renting iPads. I think it must be more of a challenge to preserve the authenticity of a historic site, while bringing in modern tools to assist and engage visitors. Ultimately, it requires good design− it seems pretty obvious when organizations are falling over themselves to bring out the latest technological fad, without any real benefit to the original content.

So what have I been up to this Saturday morning (besides this quick blog post)? Kicking back and enjoying a book. Happy to report that no QR code is required.

Related Links:

"Local Museums Embracing Technology," WAMC Radio, August 15, 2013

"Historical Sites Welcome Kids Who Love to Text," Wall Street Journal, July 31, 2013

Dancing on Air

With Snow White model Marge Champion at the press 
conference for "Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs: 
The Creation of a Classic" at Norman Rockwell Museum, 
June 7, 2013. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic is a hit! We had a successful opening last weekend, and our Enchanted Evening Gala was enjoyed by all who attended. I was asked to help out with an auction held during the event− as a performer, it made me conscious of how to speak effectively from the diaphragm, and in an engaging way in order to entice potential bidders. There is an art to this public speaking thing, for sure... but I did alright.

One person who seems to have mastered the skill is Marge Champion, the famed dancer/choreographer who also served as the live reference model for Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. She was our guest of honor during our gala event, and also joined us for a well-attended press preview to talk about her experience working on the groundbreaking film. I was impressed by her energy and spark, and her words were often inspiring (hope I'm like this when I reach 93). During the gala, Sarah I and took the dance floor and so did Marge... I must admit, there was a part of me that wanted to impress the award-winning performer with my own dancing ability (here's a little video my co-worker filmed of us; you can also see Marge Champion waltzing away in the background).  

During my last post I mentioned my planned interview with the Berkshire program Well Talk Radio about the exhibition. I thought it turned out well... here is a link to the segment, where you can also hear portions of my April interview with Marge Champion. And... without further delay, here is a very quick clip I put together from that same interview... I hope to put a longer piece together when I can find the time... right?

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic will be on view through October 27, 2013 at Norman Rockwell Museum.

Related Links:

"'Snow White' in the Press," Norman Rockwell Museum website

Enchanted Evening Gala photos (includes shots taken by your's truly), Norman Rockwell Museum Facebook page

Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho!

"Snow White Dancing with Dopey and Sneezy. Doc, Happy, Sleepy
Playing Music." Disney Studio Artist Reproduction, cel setup; ink and acrylic
on cellulose acetate. Courtesy Walt Disney Animation Research Library. ©Disney.

Back from a relaxing and adventurous weekend in the Adirondacks... good to get out in the fresh air and countryside. Now I'm busy preparing for the opening of the exhibition, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic this weekend at Norman Rockwell Museum. We have already received a couple good articles in The Boston Globe and Berkshire Eagle, and a Friday press preview is starting to fill up nicely.

Tomorrow morning (Tuesday) I will be talking about the exhibition on the radio show,
Well Talk with Avi Dresner. This Berkshire radio program focuses on health-related subjects, so we will be looking at the film's connection with dancer Marge Champion, who served as a live reference model for Walt Disney's first feature-length animated film. The host plans on airing portions of my videotaped interview with Champion, which was conducted in early April− this seems perfect, seeing as she lives part-time in the Berkshires. You can listen to the interview at 9 a.m. ET on WSBS Radio in the Berkshires, or online at www.wsbs.com

Also in the works: a couple interviews about the Museum that I conducted for the Russian Television Network of America, and WRGB-TV, based in my new home of Schenectady, New York. Apparently WRGB is the oldest TV station in the country, but more interesting for me is the fact that my Mom used to sing on the station when she was a teenager! More info soon... heigh ho, heigh ho...

Related Links:

www.welltalkradio.com

"New family fun programming at the Rockwell begins with Family Day opening of Snow White," Berkshire Family Focus, May 30, 2013

Every Picture Tells a Story...

L to R: Norman Rockwell models Ed Locke ("The Runaway"),
Mary Whalen Leonard ("Girl at Mirror"), and Wray Gunn
("New Kids in the Neighborhood"). Photo by Jeremy Clowe
for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

The June issue of Berkshire Magazine came out last week, and features a nice article about Norman Rockwell's models ("Worth a Thousand Words"), written by my friend/journalist Nichole Dupont. I was interviewed at length for the article, which ties in to the upcoming Models Reunion we are holding at Norman Rockwell Museum on Saturday, July 6, 2013. Once again, the Museum will attempt to gather as many living reference models who worked for the artist as possible... and considering their advancing ages, there's no time like the present!

Since starting at the Museum in 2001, I have initiated videotaped oral histories with the models, which has been one of the more enjoyable parts of my job, and useful in terms of learning more about the artist's process. The seed was really planted during the first models reunion I helped out with back in the summer of 2001. As I mention in the article, "I set up a little corner of the archives room, and people came in and told their stories. Rockwell, in a way, has given a gift to many of these models, and their story continued on after the artwork." The article has a nice plug for the collection of interviews I have posted on the Museum's YouTube page, as well as an interview with model Mary Keefe ("Rosie The Riveter"), who I have interviewed on a couple of occasions.

Actress Stefanie Powers posing with
her portrait created by Norman
Rockwell for the movie Stagecoach.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman
Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

On a related and interesting note, a couple weeks back I received a surprise call from the production staff of the touring show, Looped, which was playing at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford, Connecticut. The lead of the show, actress Stefanie Powers (Hart to Hart) wanted to stop by the Museum and view the portrait Norman Rockwell created of her back in the 1960s for the movie Stagecoach. Accompanied by members of our curatorial staff, I toured her around the Museum and showed her one of the reference paintings as well as dozens of photographs that Rockwell took of Powers and her fellow actors to create separate paintings of the cast, which eventually ended up on the movie poster. While visiting, Powers even agreed to do a videotaped interview with me regarding her experience posing for Norman Rockwell, and her memories of working on the film. She was very gracious... even invited me to see her show in Hartford. Anyway, never know who you will meet at the Museum... I hope to post the interview online sometime soon.


At the moment I am preparing for next week's opening of our exhibition on the art of Walt Disney's Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs. I'm busy transcribing my interview with another model: dancer Marge Champion, who served as the live action reference for Snow White's movements. She is being honored with the Fred Astaire Award this upcoming Monday for her achievements in dance... congratulations, Marge!

Related Links:

www.nrm.org

www.youtube.com/normanrockwellmuseum

www.stefaniepowersonline.com