FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The Norman Rockwell Museum and Norman Rockwell Family announce the launch of Studio Sessions: The Norman Rockwell Collection—a multi-part series of limited digital (NFT) and print editions that celebrate and explore the artist’s rigorous creative process. The collection will be produced in collaboration with Iconic, a company that expands cultural experiences with digital innovation, and IMG, Norman Rockwell Family Agency’s global licensing representative.
Project proceeds will benefit the Museum’s core mission of conserving and presenting illustration art; ensuring broad public access to this cultural heritage; and nurturing new generations of illustrators. Proceeds will also benefit the Rockwell Family's administration of the artist's work and legacy.
About Studio Sessions: The Norman Rockwell Collection
Norman Rockwell’s paintings and illustrations featuring everyday scenes of American life have become ingrained in popular culture. What is less known is that virtually every Rockwell painting was carefully orchestrated with a multi-step artistic process (e.g. preliminary sketches; extensive photography sessions with models; object studies; detailed environmental prototypes; full-scale drawings; painted color studies, etc.). The in-depth planning and staging, captured through photography for study, reference, and inspiration, allowed Rockwell to envision and perfect each element of a final work before it was brought to life on canvas.
And when viewed alongside the eventual masterpiece, the images reveal Rockwell's eye for detail and offer unparalleled insights into the imagination and intent of one of the twentieth century's most influential artists.
Studio Sessions: The Norman Rockwell Collection dives deep into the archive of over 18,000 process photographs and draft works created through the mid-twentieth century and cared for and stewarded at Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Each “Session” will include a selection of these archival pieces curated thematically around a celebrated Rockwell painting. A first-ever offering, this curated collection will be reproduced as limited digital editions (NFTs), and with each digital purchase, collectors will also receive a matching, limited-edition, museum quality print.
Margaret Rockwell, representing the Rockwell Family, underscores the importance of process in the artist’s practice: "His creative process was meticulous, each stage a labor of love. Studio Sessions resonates deeply with our family, as it not only captures and communicates the intent behind Norman Rockwell’s art, but also the spirit of the artist himself. "
More information about the inaugural Studio Session, including available artwork, purchase opportunities and official release dates, will be announced on November 1. Those interested in up-to-date information may subscribe to Studio Session email updates at www.iconicmoments.co and follow @iconic__culture on X.
Expanding the Reach of Rockwell’s Legacy
Studio Sessions builds on and reflects the shared commitment of the Museum and the Rockwell family to expanding the boundaries of art, art collecting, and storytelling as it relates to Rockwell’s practice and widespread artistic influence.
“The Museum has long championed illustration art and celebrated its profound cultural impact,” says Norman Rockwell Museum Director/CEO Laurie Norton Moffatt. “By transforming Rockwell’s artistic process into limited digital editions (NFTs), we bring Rockwell’s classical American illustration into contemporary digital art forms to be enjoyed by new generations. Rockwell’s work is eternally fresh, being both of a particular cultural moment and reflecting enduring human situations and values. We embrace these digital editions as new artistic vehicles for cultural continuity and relevance.”
Iconic CEO Chris Cummings emphasized his company’s excitement around furthering Rockwell’s legacy through this project. “Our primary goal with Studio Sessions is to support the Museum and Rockwell family in inspiring and engaging a new generation of art enthusiasts, collectors, and creators, while also educating new audiences about the far-reaching influence of Norman Rockwell. Through this initiative, we’re able to preserve and expand Rockwell’s art and process in a new era and through a new medium.”
About Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) is widely considered one of the most influential image-makers of the twentieth century. An artist whose career spanned seven decades, Rockwell painted 323 covers for The Saturday Evening Post, alongside hundreds of commissions for other leading magazines and periodicals. Rockwell’s legacy includes his iconic Four Freedoms paintings, inspired by President Roosevelt’s 1941 address to Congress, and his socially charged paintings for Look that chronicle and witness key moments in the 1960s civil rights struggle. In 1977, he received the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Forming a major artistic record of America’s changing society, Rockwell’s work is collected and exhibited worldwide and continues to inspire new generations of artists and creators.
About Rockwell Family Agency
Norman Rockwell’s three sons established the Norman Rockwell Family Agency to promote, protect, and preserve their father’s art and his legacy.
About Norman Rockwell Museum
The Norman Rockwell Museum illuminates the power of American illustration art to reflect and shape society, and advances the enduring values of kindness, respect, and social equity portrayed by Norman Rockwell. It seeks to educate, enrich, and inspire a diverse, inclusive, and equitable world. Founded with the help of Norman and Molly Rockwell and located in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, the Museum holds the world's largest and most significant collection of Rockwell art, archival materials, and memorabilia, along with more than 20,000 works by noted American illustrators.
Website: www.nrm.org
Instagram: @norman_rockwell_museum
Facebook:@normanrockwellmuseum
About IMG
IMG is a global sports, events and representation company. It is a leader in rights management, multi-channel content production and distribution, consultancy and fan engagement; owns, produces and commercially represents hundreds of live events and experiences; and manages licensing programs for the world’s best-known brands and trademarks. IMG is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company.
Website: img.com
X:@img
Instagram: @img
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