Pop Life (Everybody Needs a Thrill)

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to give to this thing called life..."

On what would have been his 58th birthday-- remembering Prince (1958-2016), one of my all-time favorite musical artists. I just received a CD of his 1987 album, Sign O' The Times- that's where it really started to click for me...right through my college years- I could not get enough.

In 2004, he released the album Musicology, which was a return to form. Around the same time, I started hosting a TV music show, and had a chance to record part of his concert in Boston.

As I set up backstage, I had one of those truly surreal moments... I looked up to see the artist himself, walking straight towards me in all of his purple glory! I didn’t know quite what to do… except say, “Hey, you're Prince!” (well, not quite that obvious, but a greeting nonetheless).

It turns out he was walking over near me to check on the set up for his opening act, legendary saxophonist Maceo Parker (he also played during Prince’s set, and on the Musicology album). I was working, so I tried to remain somewhat professional... so that I didn’t get kicked out. As he started to leave, I patted him on his purple shoulder pads, and wished him a good show. It was. 

R.I.P. and thanks for your talent. 

"I wish you heaven..."

Fresh Country Air

Congratulations to Albany-based singer Joey Sontz, whose current single "I Melt" has top 20 on the Hotdisc Country Charts in the UK! 

Back in February I spent the day with Joey in Saratoga's Congress Park, filming a music video for the song, which is the second single off of his album It All Begins with a Song. It really is a great park, filled with interesting sculpture, buildings, and levels, which match the charms of the renowned resort town. Also charming was the interaction between Joey and his friend Rachel Wellington, who I captured larking about the park, having snow ball fights, getting sprayed by a water fountain, and hassling the local ducks (felt like I was directing the opening of Friends)! After a few weeks of dedicated editing, here is the final result:

In addition to the satisfaction of creating the video, I'm pleased to learn that it is featured on this week's Hotdisc Country Top 20 TV Programme, currently airing in the UK on Sky TV's Keep It Country channel! We'll see if the song/video can climb any higher in the weeks to come... fingers crossed!

Joey has been getting some nice reviews on his album, and offered his own words of praise on the edited video, saying that it looked like we had a large crew working on it... besides him and Rachel, it was just yours truly: videographer, director, and editor... signed, sealed, delivered!

People Person

This past month marks my fifteenth year at Norman Rockwell Museum. Originally starting as a docent, giving talks about the Norman Rockwell's life and career, I now serve as one of the Museum's chief spokespeople in my role as manager of media services. Time flies, and I can't believe how much I now know of the artist and the field of illustration.

So, as I'm often asked, what's new at the Museum? Well, our exhibition, We The Peoples: Norman Rockwell's United Nations was a big success at the United Nations Headquarters. I am particularly proud that this exhibition came out, since it is my video about Rockwell's 1953 United Nations drawing that caught the eye of the peacekeeping organization, and inspired the show to mark its 70th anniversary. Nearly 70,000 people, including important delegates, are estimated to have viewed the exhibition (which included my video) during its run.

Celebrating the "Golden Rule": Pope Francis and
United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon share a
Norman Rockwell moment at the UN.
Photo courtesy: Samir Afridi/UN

Although the exhibition officially ended on September 15, the Museum continued to loan Rockwell's drawing and Golden Rule painting, in order for the UN to share the works with visiting dignitaries. High on that list was Pope Francis, who stopped by the UN this past month during his first visit to the United States. Alerted by my UN counterpart to his planned visit earlier in the week, I was charmed when he finally sent us photos of the pontiff admiring this beautiful painting from our collection. Just the day before the Pope referenced the concept of "the golden rule" during his historic address to Congress (I like the guy!), so it seemed a fitting backdrop. Days later, President Obama was introduced to the United Nations drawing during his visit, and apparently was impressed (remarking that he would like a copy). All in all, a great way to cap off this historic opportunity for the Museum; I felt honored to have played a part.

Fearless: with Rockwell model, Marjorie Coulter, "Freedom From Fear."
Courtesy: Norman Rockwell Museum.

The concept of "we the peoples" works so perfectly with Norman Rockwell's work, as he seemed to capture the hopes and aspirations of the general public from the twentieth century to this day. Since my earliest days at the Museum, I have taken it upon myself to document the stories of those people who worked with the artist. People were the focus of Rockwell's work, and so his models played an important role. As I told the website BerkshireStyle, "he made all the models very at ease, even the young children. He was a very personable individual and was able to get the expressions he wanted."

Over the years I have captured nearly 100 videotaped interviews with Rockwell models, that now serve as an important document for the Museum's archives. I have heard many stories over the years, yet still can be surprised...as I was back in 2009 when a woman named Marjorie Coulter visited and informed us that she was one of the young children in Rockwell's Freedom From Fear, part of his iconic Four Freedoms series:

Every first Friday of the month, the Museum holds a "Meet Rockwell's Models" program, where visitors have the opportunity to meet the figures presented in his work. Marjorie joined us in September, and for October I invited a woman named Pauline Adams Grimes to share her memories.

Rewind: meeting Rockwell models, summer 2001.
Photo courtesy: Norman Rockwell Museum.

I had first met Pauline back in 2001 during a big Rockwell models reunion that we held at the Museum; that is when I started videotaping models' oral histories, yet only managed to film a few remarks of her remarks. Eight years later, I traveled out to Arlington, Vermont, with one of my colleagues to attend a model reunion being held in the town that Rockwell called home, before moving to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and finally managed to sit down with Pauline and capture her story.

Pauline and her siblings were introduced to Norman Rockwell back in the early 1950s, by folk artist/neighbor Grandma Moses, who knew that Rockwell was looking for a multi-ethnic crowd to appear in a sketch he was working on about the United Nations. The family posed for several photos in Rockwell’s Arlington studio, and Pauline ended up pictured in the bottom right of the drawing. Although traveling to the UN’s headquarters to conduct research and photograph actual delegates to appear in the illustration, Rockwell eventually put the image aside (and revisited the concept for the painting Golden Rule in 1960, which featured Pauline's brother Paul). 

Rockwell model Pauline Adams Grimes
exploring NRM's archives, Oct. 2015.
Photo: Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell
Museum. All rights reserved.

Prior to the opening of We The Peoples, I tried to contact Pauline to let her know about the exhibition. I wasn't sure if she ever received my phone or post card, until I finally heard back from her at the end of the summer; she was thrilled to learn about the show and the existence of the drawing, and ended up visiting the UN with her family to view the original illustration for the first time (and meeting the UN's Deputy Secretary-General); "It was beautiful," she later remarked. "More than I ever dreamed it would be."

This aspect of my job has been one of my favorites: seeing the joy that Rockwell's work creates for people, and being able to help facilitate that and even introduce to new audiences. The fall is our busiest season, and as I helped greet the dozens of tour buses that arrived daily to view the vibrant art and foliage, I couldn't help but remember my start giving gallery talks at the Museum over a decade ago. 

One of my newest tasks is being appointed editor-in-chief of our members' magazine (who says print is dead?), and so I continue to play an important role at the Museum, through my knowledge, creativity, and own passion for the arts. If only my father, an admirer of Rockwell's work and artist in his own right, could see me now.

Related Links:

"Norman Rockwell's Models" (interview), BerkshireStyle, September 2, 2015

"Model UN/NRM" (written by JC), September 2015, Norman Rockwell Museum website

"Honoring The Golden Rule" (written by JC/videos edited by JC), September 2015, Norman Rockwell Museum website

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

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

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

American Greetings

Dalton Color Guard welcome one of our newest U.S. citizens.
Photos ©Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

In yesterday's blog I briefly mentioned the naturalization ceremony that I helped out with yesterday at Norman Rockwell Museum. Working at the Museum as long I have, I sometimes forget how effective those paintings, in this case The Four Freedoms, can be... yesterday I was reminded. 23 Berkshire County residents were sworn-in as United States citizens in front of Rockwell's iconic series of paintings illustrating President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1941 speech to Congress--in that speech he described four essential human freedoms necessary in today's world: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

I enjoyed meeting this family from El Salvador...
wish I had written down some of the recipes
they described.

The new citizens originated from 16 different countries, including Benin, Canada, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Ghana, India, the Ivory Coast, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Some attended the ceremony in different styles of dress from those countries. Many brought their families, and it was touching to learn that these children automatically became U.S. citizens as well.

I have never attended a ceremony like this and I have to say I was moved by the significance of the event. I talked with representatives from the Berkshire Immigrant Center that co-sponsored the event, and they informed me of how difficult it can be to become a citizen of the U.S. Some of the people I met waited 20 years to have the honor... it made me think about how desirable it is to be an American... to this day. In fact, after learning of the very demanding tests that are part of the naturalization process, these new citizens may know more about the U.S. than those of us who were born here... I was moved witnessing a much older man from India, as he walked up to receive his certificate.

Judge Rutberg and Governor Patrick
welcome one of the new citizens (originally from
the African continent).

Several Massachusetts state dignitaries were on hand to welcome the new citizens, including Governor Deval Patrick. Just days earlier I had watched him live on TV as he spoke at the Democratic National Convention, so it was great that he was able to join us--seems like a nice guy. Judge Frederic Rutberg, a Stockbridge resident, administered the oath of allegiance, which was quite special in itself, since he had originally been sworn-in as a judge in front of the same paintings back in the early 90s. 

We had several members of the press stop by to the cover the event, which was good... and I was busy taking my own photographs and filming the ceremony... a little hectic at times (Governor Patrick called me a "one-man band"), but I was glad to be there and proud of the Museum for hosting such an event. 

Immediately following the ceremony there was a reception, and I had a chance to talk with several of the new citizens. It was a pleasure to welcome them to the United States, offering them copies of the photos and my own hospitality; in the words of Governor Patrick:  “The diverse backgrounds, shared experiences, enthusiasm and ambition among these new citizens will make the Commonwealth and country stronger for generations to come.”

Photos ©Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

*View more photos I took at the event on Norman Rockwell Museum's Facebook page (captions courtesy of the Museum's Director)

*Read press releases I created for the event:

-Norman Rockwell Museum To Hold Naturalization Ceremony 

-NRM Welcomes 23 New United States Citizens During Naturalization Ceremony 

*Berkshire Eagle article, September 9, 2012

First Camera

So tonight is the first night of the Democratic National Convention. I might actually watch this one... sorry Clint. 

I think the fighting between parties gets a little hard to stomach, but I must admit to getting caught up in some of the competitive feeling of an election year. I've been bookmarking tons of articles, but I'm far too tired to pontificate in this blog here tonight.

First Camerman: Documenting the
Obama Presidency in Real Time
by Arun Chaudhary.

Instead, I thought I would share an interesting news story that I heard the other day on NPR. They ran an interview with Arun Chaudhary, who has served the past four years at the first official White House videographer. I am familiar with the idea of presidential photographers (Pete Souza does a great job), but I never really thought about someone to document with video... talk about an intense and possibly over-scrutinized job... but it makes perfect sense in this day of instant web access. Chaudhary tells NPR about his early days with Obama on the campaign trail: "I thought the real job of any smart, young filmmaker working for a campaign has to be to think of that brilliant 30-second ad that's the one that just transforms the election. ... And then [I] quickly realize that all these little clever things I was doing on the side were not getting the hits, the attention that uncut speeches from Sen. Obama were: the victory speech in Iowa or the race speech. These were the ones that were the real 'viral' hits." 

The job must be quite the window into history... Chaudhary tells about the experience in his new book, First Cameraman. I would hope his work captures something authentic, but it must be difficult to capture reality... and surely a pain for the President to constantly be concerned about? Talk about living in a bubble. Anyway, I'm sure that the document will be interesting to look at many years from now.

On the topic of videography, my own recent work for Peace Action New York State has lead to another gig... interesting because the client has family ties to a former child star, whose show I used to enjoy watching as a kid... video sure can connect you with interesting people, as I'm sure Chaudhary would attest to.

Related Links:

"Behind the Lens with Obama's 'First Cameraman," NPR, September 2, 2012

2012 Democratic National Convention

Sharing in the Digital Age

Transitioning... c.2009. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

One of the contributions I am most proud of making during my years at Norman Rockwell Museum, has been the videotaping of oral histories with Norman Rockwell's models, acquaintances, family, and other artists who have been inspired by or continue in the illustrator's tradition. I am frequently conducting the interviews, manning the camera, checking the audio, and in some cases, editing it for promotional or exhibition use. It can be time-consuming, but I'm good at it... and feel I am providing an invaluable service (last fall I did an interview with Ralph Baer, one of our donors, who is considered the founder of video games). I have also conducted oral histories outside of the Museum, and am so glad that I thought to sit down with my late grandmother, who meant the world to me... I learned so much about my family that I might never have known otherwise.

Many of the interviews I have conducted for the Museum were before the advent of HD cameras, so I'm happy that steps are being taken to preserve this work for later access. I am also at a point where I must consider this for my own large archive of independent recordings, which include interviews with many important music artists... some who have also since passed.

The other day the Museum Director forwarded along a newsletter from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which contained an article about Michigan State University's efforts to preserve and improve the practice of conducting oral histories in the digital age-- the school was actually the recipient of a 2009 IMLS grant that supported this ongoing effort.

The early result is the "Oral History in the Digital Age" website, which is attempting to gather some recommended standards--everything from selecting video equipment and achieving good audio recordings to intellectual property issues and oral history podcasts. It looks like a useful site for video professionals and even the casual videographer, looking for advice on how to record their family or friend's story for future preservation. 

Hmm... so how does one go about winning a grant to afford the upgrade of digital technology? I'll have to research that one further...

Related Links:

Oral History in the Digital Age website

Personal Archiving -- Digital Preservation, Library of Congress website

Homecoming Weekend

Speaking of Norman Rockwell, I spent the afternoon filming and photographing a real-life "Homecoming." Two soldiers returned to the Berkshires after being deployed abroad, and we held a grand ceremony at Norman Rockwell Museum. 

"The Homecoming," 1945, Norman Rockwell.
Oil on canvas, Private Collection.
©1945 SEPS: Curtis Publishing,
Indianapolis, IN.

Since Rockwell created so many patriotic illustrations during World War II (i.e. The Four Freedoms), our Museum seems perfectly suited to serve as the backdrop for such events. Rockwell's 1945 painting The Homecoming is on loan to the Museum for a short-time, and we tied the arrival of this artwork in with the already scheduled program. 

The Here at Home Committee, who planned the event, contacted CTSB-TV, where I do some video work, to see if there were any videographers free to film the event. Since I was already working the event, it made sense that I would film it for the station. This also gave me a chance to try out their Sony NXCAM HD camera again. In some respects, it's sort of like learning to ride a bike again, and I'm discovering all of the subtle nuances with a tapeless format and new camera controls. I'm sure I'll get there, but after juggling this HD video camera and the Museum's Canon EOS 60D digital still camera, I'm exhausted... this one-man band thing can get a little old sometimes. Anyway, hopefully I got some usable footage... I have the camera until Monday, so maybe I'll take it around for further testing over the weekend.

Right now I'm off to Old Songs, a yearly folk festival that has become a tradition for Sarah's family. It will be nice to unwind and listen to some live music, at the foot of the Altamont's mountain area... and not far from where our wedding will take place!

Weddings by Design

I spent part of the day in Saratoga Springs yesterday, riding a trolley decorated with flowers and blasting "Going to the Chapel." Yeah... I broke down and went to the bridal show (you owe me, SK). Actually, it wasn't that bad-- I had a chance to look at different wedding invitation styles, photographers, and videographers-- the latter was interesting, because I am usually the one filming other peoples' events.


The new HD cameras look great, and it was interesting to see each videographer's style. It ranged from the personal to more "corporate" feel (eh, not sure a camera crane will be necessary). The ones I liked best tried to emphasize telling the couple's story-- interviews with the bride and groom, their families and close friends. You could tell the cameramen who "got it"-- even when the subjects weren't speaking, you could get an idea about their personalities or emotions just by watching the visuals.

Early 60s Porsche-- now where's that registry gun?

Part of this bridal event was being staged at the Saratoga Automobile Museum, which was helpful when I started to glaze over at some of the sillier aspects of the day... at least I had some sweet vintage cars to look at. It's true: they sure don't make them like they used to, and I did not realize the number of automobiles designed right here in New York State during the early 20th century-- some 100 different automobile manufacturers, with names like the Pierce Arrow and The Cooley. Apparently even Rochester and Buffalo got in on the action.

The day was interesting for me in terms of judging design: be it vintage autos, wedding dresses, rings, invitations or desserts-- each trying their hardest to impress you.


On that note, I haven't quite figured out where I'm heading with this blog-- personal, professional or self-interest? Who am I trying to impress? Is it working?!?

Happy New Year...

...that's an understatement-- I have high expectations for this one!

We had a good time last night-- a relatively low-key evening with friends, at home in the Capital Region. The evening consisted of good food, drinks, playing Catch Phrase (addicting!), and watching Dick Clark's Neon Rocking Eve (seriously, what is up with the self-tanning lotion?). We were out fairly late, but I still woke up early. As I mentioned in the last post, I have a lot planned for this year... and I guess I did not want to waste any time.

I continued some work in preparation for a show I am involved with in New York City at the end of this week (more in tomorrow's post), and made some edits to other projects I am working on. U2's "New Year's Day" was in my head following Friday night's stellar karaoke outing, and so I just had to YouTube that! The rest of the day was spent doing some cleaning (which always makes me feel better... and more creative), and helping Sarah look at some ideas for our wedding.

I think we're both learning how much work is actually involved in planning for the big day (7/15 to be exact). I was surprised by how long it took to figure out our venue, and the date was tricky too... since this will be an interfaith ceremony (my Christian to her Jewish). Things are coming together though. I think we're finally entering the stage where it will be both fun and creative to start planning.

Sarah is very artistic as well. I know she is excited to do some D.I.Y. crafting projects to share with our guests and liven up the wedding venue. I am also interested in contributing some of my own creativity, but this will be different than what I have been accustomed to sharing in wedding ceremonies I have been a part of in recent years...

First off, I'm usually the videographer-- in fact, that was one of my first jobs I landed out of college. I used to film weddings and receptions for a Rochester-based production company, just about every weekend in the heady days of 94/95. I enjoyed it, and have since helped out many friends and family in documenting their own weddings through my video and photography. I always like giving it a bit of a personal touch: interviewing guests, filming the little moments, definitely covering the excitement of the reception.

Sarah and I actually met out dancing, so that will be a must to have documented! Having said that, I realize that I am going to need to turn the creative reins over to our videographer and photographer. I know I wouldn't have wanted someone else hovering over me while I was doing their job. However, we will take our time in figuring out who to choose... and don't get me started on the DJ... that will be important too!

In terms of my own creativity, I am thinking of doing something with video projection. Maybe some old family footage, or something more abstract. Waterfalls are also important to us, so we will probably do something to represent that (bring a raincoat). What creative ideas have you seen at weddings? Please share your thoughts here-- we would appreciate it. Of course, I am a bit of a ham... the "art of throwing a party!" That will be a fun way to express myself as well.

The attached photo is from our friends Liz and Adam's wedding a few years ago (which, incidentally, I also videotaped). I love this shot-- it pretty much perfectly captures the chemistry Sarah and I have. Maybe we'll have to look into this photographer, whose name unfortunately escapes me.

Above all, it should be fun... keep the expectations high, but the creativity loose.

For auld lang syne, my dear 
For auld lang syne, 
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet 
For auld lang syne!

Here's to 2012... Cheers!