Norman Rockwell Biography | American Artist

Norman Percevel Rockwell

Born: February 3, 1894
Died: November 8, 1978
Place of Birth: New York City, New York

Major Notes:

Norman Rockwell produced over 2000 works that are still seen on calendars, plates, and magazines.
He was influenced early in life by his grandfather's barnyard scenes and by the fact of seeing his father painting on weekends.
Rockwell was 14 when he enrolled for classes at the New York School of Art and two years later he entered the National Academy of Design.
He was influenced by two artists when he joined the Art Students League: Thomas Fogarty and George Bridgman.
At 15, he got a commission to do the designs on four Christmas cards, a sign of early success.
Soon Norman Rockwell was hired by the Boy Scouts of America to serve as Art Director for their publication.
This led Rockwell to do work for several publications for young people.
Rockwell's family moved to New Rochelle in 1915 and he set up an art studio with cartoonist Clyde Forsythe.
Soon he was illustrating for several magazines and landed a contract in 1916 to do work for the "Saturday Evening Post."
Rockwell had continued work success and, after one divorce, married again to Mary Barstow in 1930.
By 1939, he had three sons and decided to move the family to Arlington, Vermont, giving him a look at small-town life.
During World War II, Norman Rockwell tried to enlist and was at first turned down because he was too light; later, he gorged himself and was accepted but only as a military artist.
With the Post writers, Rockwell produced a series called "The Four Freedoms" and, by touring across the nation, promoted the sale of 130 million dollars worth of bonds, possibly helping to shorten the war.
Rockwell painted the portraits of several US presidents and other world leaders.
He was presented the nation's highest honor in 1977, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Norman Rockwell was more than an illustrator; he was an artist whose paintings captured the life styles of the century.

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Major Notes:

Norman Rockwell produced over 2000 works that are still seen on calendars, plates, and magazines.

He was influenced early in life by his grandfather's barnyard scenes and by the fact of seeing his father painting on weekends.

Rockwell was 14 when he enrolled for classes at the New York School of Art and two years later he entered the National Academy of Design.

He was influenced by two artists when he joined the Art Students League: Thomas Fogarty and George Bridgman.

At 15, he got a commission to do the designs on four Christmas cards, a sign of early success.

Soon Norman Rockwell was hired by the Boy Scouts of America to serve as Art Director for their publication.

This led Rockwell to do work for several publications for young people.

Rockwell's family moved to New Rochelle in 1915 and he set up an art studio with cartoonist Clyde Forsythe.

Soon he was illustrating for several magazines and landed a contract in 1916 to do work for the "Saturday Evening Post."

Rockwell had continued work success and, after one divorce, married again to Mary Barstow in 1930.

By 1939, he had three sons and decided to move the family to Arlington, Vermont, giving him a look at small-town life.

During World War II, Norman Rockwell tried to enlist and was at first turned down because he was too light; later, he gorged himself and was accepted but only as a military artist.

With the Post writers, Rockwell produced a series called "The Four Freedoms" and, by touring across the nation, promoted the sale of 130 million dollars worth of bonds, possibly helping to shorten the war.

Rockwell painted the portraits of several US presidents and other world leaders.

He was presented the nation's highest honor in 1977, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Norman Rockwell was more than an illustrator; he was an artist whose paintings captured the life styles of the century.