My Adventures as an Illustrator: The Definitive Edition

About this book

The life of Americas most beloved artist in his own wordsback in print with restored text and drawings new illustrations and more. The wit humanity and many-sided talent of Norman Rockwell (18941978) are on full display in his classic autobiography. Rockwells New York City boyhood his apprentice days at the Art Students League his first fateful visit to the Saturday Evening Post his adventures abroad his move to rural Vermontall are recounted with a mix of sharp observation and self-deprecating humor. Throughout Rockwell invites the reader into his artistic process: he introduces his favorite models candidly reveals his biggest flops and documents the creation of a Post cover step by step. This Definitive Edition restores the original 1960 text of My Adventures as an Illustrator as well as the playful vignettes that Rockwell drew to head each chapter. Thanks to a massive image digitization effort undertaken by the Norman Rockwell Museum it is also illustrated with more than 150 of Rockwells paintings and drawings many of which highlight lesser-known aspects of his work. A new introduction by the artists granddaughter Abigail Rockwell adds reference value as do an illustrated chronology and an annotated bibliography prepared by the staff of the Norman Rockwell Museum. This attractive volume will be the essential source on the life of Norman Rockwell and delightful reading for anyone who enjoys his art. Plus its publication coincides with a major new exhibition at the Norman Rockwell Museum concerning the autobiographical elements in the artists work (Norman Rockwell: Private Moments for the Masses June 8 through October 27 2019).