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Norman Rockwell History


1894  
Norman Percival Rockwell was born in New York to Parents Nancy and Jarvis Waring Rockwell
1913  
Hired by Boy Scouts for Boy's Life Magazine & Calendars, he was 19 years old
1916  
First paintings purchased by Saturday Evening Post, he was 21 years old, 322 covers in 47 years
1916  
Married Irene, teacher, seperated in 1923
1929  
Divorced Irene
1930  
Married Mary Barstow, teacher, had 3 boys
1939  
Moved to Arlington, Vermont
1943  
Painted Four Freedoms, National Tour raised $133 million in war bonds
1943  
Fire!! Norman's studio burns down started by pipe ashes, lost over a thousand drawings, all his costumes and props
1953  
Moved to Stockbridge for Mary's health
1959  
Mary died
1961  
Married Molly, retired teacher
1977  
Received the presidential Medal of Freedom Award
1978  
Norman died November 8th, he was 84 years old
1985  
Molly died
     
Sons:
 

Jarvis (Jerry) - Retired Art Teacher
Tom - Writer, wrote "How to Eat Fried Worms" and Biographies about his father
Peter - Currently a Sculptor in Italy

     
Notes about Norman:

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Illustrated for 10 years with Look Magazine
Also illustrated Country Gentleman, did advertising, illustrated Mark Twain
Worked 364 1/2 days a years, 1/2 day at Christmas
Did 2,600 to 4,000 drawings
Stockbridge has about 50 of his drawings on display
Arlington, VT; New Rochelle, NY; & Philadelphia, PA also have Norman Rockwell museums and there is a traveling display
He used models, paid volunteers, eventually used photos
Was a supernumerary in opera with Enrico Caruso
Grandma Moses and Frances Hook were peers
He taught Ethel Barrymore are when he was 15
He was a high school dropout/suspended, attended art school and eventually finished high school
He used charcoal pencil first then completed with oil