Photo by Sarah Edwards. ©Norman Rockwell Museum.

Stockbridge, MA, March 16, 2016—In 1916, Norman Rockwell painted his first cover for The Saturday Evening Post, the magazine considered by the artist to be the “greatest show window in America.” Over the next 47 years, millions of Americans brought Rockwell’s art into their homes, enjoying the artist’s iconic cover and interior art. This intimate connection with Rockwell’s art made his images a part of the fabric of American lives. This year, Norman Rockwell Museum celebrates the 100th anniversary of Norman Rockwell’s first Post cover, Boy with Baby Carriage (May 20, 1916) through a special series of events and installations.

On view May 14 through October 30, 2016, the contemporary sculpture exhibition Build a Better Baby Carriage will feature original three-dimensional artworks inspired by the subject of Rockwell’s first Post cover. Artists working in all media are invited to submit proposals for the juried exhibition, which will be displayed outdoors on the Museum’s 36-acre site overlooking the Housatonic River. Commendations will be awarded for “Best in Show,” “Most Inventive,” “Most Artistic,” and “People’s Choice (Children and Adults).” The deadline for applications is March 28. For more information, please contact the Museum at 413.931.2278 or ImageServices@nrm.org .

Norman Rockwell Museum will also present a family day on Saturday, May 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. Celebrate the Post anniversary and opening of Build a Better Baby Carriage with artmaking, storytelling, talks and refreshments. The event is being sponsored by Pittsfield Co-Operative Bank.

Currently on view, the Museum is presenting four installations related to Norman Rockwell’s work for The Saturday Evening Post. Rockwell at The Post: 1916-1941 looks at works that endeared the artist to the American public. Featured works include the original Boy with Baby Carriage painting (part of the Museum’s permanent collection), Boy and Girl Gazing at the Moon (Puppy Love), and a tribute to one of Rockwell’s favorite models, James Van Brunt, who appeared on several Post covers during this period.

Rockwell at The Post: 1942-1963 focuses on the years that the artist cemented his image as America’s painter, through such memorable covers as Gossips, Roadblock, and The Runaway. Recently on view at the United Nations, Golden Rule portends Rockwell’s eventual move to Look magazine, where he began to create more socially conscious paintings, reflecting our changing society.

Between the Covers: The Interior Artwork of Norman Rockwell looks beyond the cover of The Saturday Evening Post to explore the artist’s many story illustrations. Highlights include such Post illustrations as The New Tavern Sign (Colonial Sign Painter), Norman Rockwell Visits a Country Editor, as well as such later work as New Kid in the Neighborhood created for Look magazine; preliminary sketches and the actual dress worn by model Lynda Gunn for the painting The Problem We All Live With are also on view.

Norman Rockwell’s 323 “Saturday Evening Post” Covers is a comprehensive exhibition of original Post cover tear sheets, featuring each of Rockwell’s illustrations for the publication, created between 1916 and 1963.

More related programs and events, including a Norman Rockwell model reunion, are planned. Please visit www.nrm.org for the latest information.