Norman Rockwell's Models

In and Out of the Studio

By: S.T. Haggerty

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1940, America’s favorite illustrator Norman Rockwell, his wife Mary, and their three sons moved to the picturesque rural village of West Arlington, Vermont. The artist discovered a treasure trove of models. Norman Rockwell’s Models: In and out of the Studio is the first to detail these models’ lives, friendships with the artist, and experiences in his studio.

Dressed in quaint work clothing, the models were dairy farmers, carpenters, country doctors, soldiers, and mechanics. Norman Rockwell’s Models features nonfiction narratives telling the story of these folks during an era when they helped the war effort, farmed with horses, and received home visits from doctors.

The book also describes the challenges the models faced in their own lives and how these affected their expressions in the paintings. For example, in several 1945 masterpieces, the jubilance Americans felt after the close of the second word war is revealed in their faces.

Upon meeting people, young or old, the artist would say, “Call Me Norman.” Rockwell learned the models’ roles in the community and their personalities, which fostered genuine paintings. He strove, for example, to find real-life soldiers to model as WWII heroes and spirited boys and girls for lively paintings.

In the studio, Norman was charming and polite but painstaking. He demonstrated poses and did whatever was necessary to evoke his trademark expressions, including telling stories of his own life, sometimes laughing or crying.

Spending entire summers at his family’s farmhouse near West Arlington, Vermont, the author, S. T. Haggerty, grew up knowing many models, including those who posed for such iconic works as Freedom of Speech, Breaking Home Ties, and Girl at the Mirror.

Along with models and their families, the author hayed the scenic fields in the Batten Kill River Valley and swam under the red covered bridge on the Village Green. This experiences give him a unique perspective for telling this story.

©2023 Stephen Haggerty (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

Loved this!

This volume is full of heartwarming stories of days gone by. It brought back many memories I have of growing up in rural Maryland. I was sorry when it ended! The narrator is perfect! The backstories of the models were so interesting and it was easy to imagine their lives and their experiences modeling for “Norman”. I recommend this to not only fans of Norman Rockwell and his work, but also anyone with cherished memories of a country childhood in slower paced times!

Very enjoyable insight into Rockwell's work life

Highly recommended. Great to hear about Rockwell's working method and relationships with the models that were such a big part of his work. I've listened to it back to back twice so far.

Memories of New Rochelle

I grew up in Nee Rochelle, NY. We were so proud that Rockwell lived there for a time. The essence of Rockwell and simpler times were so eloquently capture in this book, I am now on a mission to find a coffee table
Collection of these magnificent work of arts. I own one print and I’m so very proud of it, “Ruby Bridges” being escorted by Marshall’s on her first day of school. Thanks Norman

Feels like a high school term paper.

The content is shallow and maudlin. Reads like a high school term paper of Reader's Digest story. Sad, I was hoping for some actual insight and information.