The Unknown Rockwell: A Portrait of Two American Families Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a story not to be missed! Not only does it chronicle the intertwining lives of the the Edgerton and Rockwell families, who lived next door to each other in Arlington, Vermont in the 40's and 50's but it transports you into a quieter, gentler time before the age of technology, to life on a dairy farm where all family members played a vital role in the the making or breaking of the business. It's about neighbors supporting and encouraging each other and the forging of a lifelong friendship between the Rockwells and the Edgertons. Buddy Edgerton, a former model for Norman Rockwell, writes the way he speaks, simply and directly, to immerse you in the past as he shares what life was like growing up on a farm and how his life was enriched and expanded when Norman Rockwell and his family bought the 1792 colonial farmhouse next to his in 1943. There have been many books written on Norman Rockwell, but this one stands head and shoulders above the rest as a first hand account of Norman Rockwell, his family and his relationship with the people and town of Arlington, Vermont - one that put the tiny village on the map for all time!

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American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell Review

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(More customer reviews)I thought this was a worthwhile overview of the life and work of Rockwell. Though it was published to coincide with an exhibition there are only five pages that relate to this in a checklist format of work. The rest of the book has three essays hung around New York, Vermont and Stockbridge where the artist lived and between these are pages of his work with detailed text.
Most of Rockwell's paintings in the book have been reproduced many times before but maybe not as well as here (with a 175 screen). What I did find new were several drawings and roughs from the early Fifties of Santa for Hallmark cards and a fascinating twenty-two page section on the background to Murder in Mississippi, a compelling painting completed in 1965. Included are letters, news clipping, reference photos for the two figures in the painting and painted roughs. Oddly Look Magazine, who commissioned the work, used a rather loose color study in the magazine rather than the finished work.
At the back of the book there are twenty-eight pages about Rockwell's various studios over the years with plenty of exterior and interior photos. All the paintings in the book are captioned with title, date and size. The size reference is interesting because Rockwell is seen as a realist painter, especially his Saturday Evening Post from the mid-forties but this is because when a canvas three or four feet deep is reduced to a magazine cover size (or as they appear in these pages) it concentrates all the detail to a near photographic feel. When you see a Rockwell painting close-up it clearly has a fine art look rather than a slick piece of commercial illustration.
Amazon lists plenty of books about this wonderful artist, many of them, I think, just seem to be cashing in on his name with poor selections and printing. This book should be included with the better ones because of its excellent editorial, design and printing.
***SEE SOME INSIDE PAGES by clicking 'customer images' under the cover.

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In Search of Norman Rockwell's America Review

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(More customer reviews)Norman Rockwell's images of American life have resonated with us for generations now. Nearly all of us have seen these iconic portraits of an American life that we universally want to embrace as our own experience.
How many of us have searched for an experience of life in America reflected in Rockwell's captured moments of American normalcy? Even I have gazed at this paintings and imagined the joy of living in these moments.
Kevin Rvioli has done just that. With his own eye and camera, he has photographed this very real version of Rockwell's America. He has successfully captured the spirit of Rockwell's America and what a surprise! Rockwell's America is our America.
Rivoli's skill at matching his captures with Rockwell's paintings is outstanding. Page after page exhibits just how much of Rockwell's world is part of our own.
And perhaps Rivoli has unlocked the secret of Rockwell himself. In place of a camera, Rockwell may well have captured actual moments with his paintings and not an idealized version of America, but in fact a flesh and blood reality that Rivoli shows is alive and well in America.
So take the journey back to Rockwell's America and discover how close it really is.

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In this unprecedented collection, photojournalist Kevin Rivoli proves that the idealistic, all-American views found in Norman Rockwell's classic illustrations are, in fact, accurate and timeless portrayals of a nation that truly does exist. Some critics argue that Norman Rockwell's images are overly sentimental, old-fashioned, and contrived. Yet it was always photojournalist Kevin Rivoli's belief that the themes that make Rockwell's illustrations so poignant -- patriotism, faith, family, and sports -- are also what make our country so great. Determined to dispel the critics' claims against Rockwell's prolific body of work, Rivoli set out with his camera to visit small towns and capture spontaneous Rockwell moments that celebrate the glory of ordinary, everyday life. In Search of Norman Rockwell's America pairs Rivoli's photographs side by side with Norman Rockwell's iconic paintings, demonstrating how Rockwell's scenes were not just imagined on a canvas since they continue to sensitively reflect the American experience today. Each page of In Search of Norman Rockwell's America is filled with inspiring quotes and anecdotes from those who have been touched by Rockwell, including Arnold Palmer, Dick Clark, Beau Bridges, Dolly Parton, former president Jimmy Carter, and even the original subjects of Rockwell's artwork. A must-have for photographers, artists, Rockwell enthusiasts, and those desiring to slow down and focus on what's really important in life -- embracing those special Rockwell moments.

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