“The Homecoming,” 1945, Norman Rockwell (1894–1978) Cover illustration for “The Saturday Evening Post,” May 26, 1945 Oil on canvas, Private Collection. ©1945 SEPS: Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN.

“The Homecoming,” 1945, Norman Rockwell (1894–1978). Cover illustration for “The Saturday Evening Post,” May 26, 1945
Oil on canvas, Private Collection. ©1945 SEPS: Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN.

Stockbridge, MA, June 20, 2012—Norman Rockwell Museum and The Here at Home Committee will welcome home First Lieutenant Andrew Shaw and Sergeant Kelsey Shaw, two soldiers returning to the Berkshire after being deployed abroad, during a special homecoming ceremony to be held at the Museum on Saturday, June 23, starting at 1 p.m. The soldiers and their families will be honored by regional dignitaries during the ceremony, which will be held in front of Norman Rockwell’s rarely-seen original 1945 painting, The Homecoming, currently on view thanks to a short-term loan. A reception will follow, with homemade apple pie, lemonade, photo reenactments of Norman Rockwell’s wartime illustrations, and the premiere of singer/songwriter Mary Verdi’s “Here at Home” music video. The event is free; does not include Museum admission. Norman Rockwell Museum is a committed participant in the Blue Star Museums Program, and extends the program benefits to offer free admission to active military personnel and their families year-round.

The Here at Home Committee was formed by singer/songwriter Mary Verdi and Rosanne Frieri, Director of Veteran Services for Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The Committee has one goal: to welcome back soldiers to the Berkshires with a dignified welcome home greeting and salute their bravery with their very own billboard letting the community know of their service to our country.

About Norman Rockwell’s The Homecoming

During World War II, Norman Rockwell’s humanistic portrayals of soldiers on the American homefront were a reassuring presence in the popular press during trying times. The artist received many fan letters from Saturday Evening Post readers who appreciated Rockwell’s artistry and the stories that he chose to tell, and his May 26, 1945 cover illustration of a GI returning home to an overjoyed community of family, friends and neighbors received rave reviews.