"Portrait of Norman Rockwell Painting 'The Soda Jerk,'" 1953. Private Collection. ©NRELC: NIles, IL.

It has been an incredibly mild winter, but things are keeping cool here at the Museum as we prepare for our upcoming exhibition on the art of portraitist Everett Raymond Kinstler. Starting next Sunday, March 4, from 1 to 3 p.m., we let you try your hand through our Sunday Sketchbook: Drawing in the Galleries program. Explore the use of the sketchbook as an expressive and analytic tool, with helpful inspiration from the original artworks on view (including a new Rockwell portrait gallery and exhibit of some of his health-related paintings). The program, to be held every Sunday in March, costs $10, $7 for Museum members.

Our Pop-Up! The Magic of Movable Books exhibition continues, and you have your chance to create your own pop-up works to bring home during The Artful Pop-Up: Workshops and Readings, to be held this Saturday, March 3, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Finally, we continue our Meet Rockwell’s Modelsprogram this Friday, March 2, at 2:30 p.m. This month we meet Kevin and Belita O’Hara, who posed for Norman Rockwell’s 1974 Franklin Mint illustration, “Spirit of America.” The couple will share their memories of posing for America’s favorite illustrator. Kevin is also an established writer, so you can see that the love of storytelling continues.

Every picture tells a story at Norman Rockwell Museum. Here are a few new additions to our galleries:

War News, Thanksgiving mother and Son Peeling Potatos, Piano Tuner, Strictly a Sharpshooter, Oh Boy, If Mother Could See Me Now, U.S. Army Teaches a Trade (the Telegrapher), Fishing Trip (Country Gentleman covers), First Signs of Spring, No Swimming  (1929 Post cover), She Said it For a Lifetime (Elgin watch ad), Family Home from Vacation, Aunt Ella Takes a Trip, and Spirit of Education.

Always something to see at Norman Rockwell Museum!