By Kathy L. Collins
The Tampa Museum of Art, located at 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza (next to Curtis Hixon Park) in downtown Tampa, will present American Chronicles The Art of Norman Rockwell from Saturday, March 7 through Sunday, May 31. This is the most prestigious exhibition that has come to the Tampa Museum of Art. The artwork comes to the museum courtesy of the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the Tampa Museum of Art has scheduled a series of lectures that will complement the art and enhance the viewing of the exhibit. The lectures will be held on three Tuesdays in April.
First up is Laurie Norton Moffatt, director/CEO of the Norman Rockwell Museum. Moffatt will be in Tampa on Tuesday, April 14 to discuss The Life and Art of Norman Rockwell. On Tuesday, April 21 Dr. Raymond Arsenault will discuss Norman Rockwell and the Struggle for Civil Rights, 1934-1968. Then, civil rights icon Ruby Bridges will be at the museum on Tuesday, April 28. Bridges will share her remarkable story about integrating an all white school in 1960. Her story inspired Norman Rockwell’s painting The Problem We All Live With. This painting was exhibited in the White House in 2011 when President Obama met Bridges.
Norman Rockwell was an iconic 20th century painter and illustrator. His work was popular in the United States because his paintings reflected everyday life of the American culture. He is best known for creating the cover illustrations for the magazine, The Saturday Evening Post. He did this for over four decades.
Rockwell is also well known for his support of the Boy Scouts of America. He produced numerous covers for their magazine, Boy’s Life, illustrations for calendars and much more.
The Tampa Museum of Art will also welcome a new Executive Director, Dr. Michael Tomor, this April. Penny Vinik, chair of the Executive Search Committee said, “Dr. Tomor is an outstanding museum professional with a great passion for art and community building and we are all looking forward to working with him as he leads the museum into its next exciting chapter.”
For more information on the Norman Rockwell exhibit and all upcoming events, visit www.tampamuseum.org or call 274-8130.
