Norman Rockwell Museum

When we left Old Sturbridge Village we headed west to Stockbridge, Massachusetts to see the art of Norman Rockwell.  What a treat!  The area was beautiful where the museum and his art studio is located although he actually lived in downtown Stockbridge with his family.  They told us that on the day they moved his art studio all of the school children got to come out and watch as it was driven by.  We enjoyed the movie which gave a little overview of his life and then wandered around the area looking at many of his wonderful pictures.  I was surprised how emotional I got as I looked at the pictures that he had painted. They all just speak to your heart.

The museum

After visiting the museum and gift shop (!) we headed over to his studio.  I think that was my favorite part of our time there because we met a woman who as a child had been one of his models for the paintings he did. She said that almost everyone in Stockbridge were in one or another of his pictures. She told many stories about him and his paintings.  My favorite story was about his wife.  She died in 1959 and he had planned to put her in a special picture he was painting.  When he made the picture he put his wife in the picture holding a grandbaby because the thing she most looked forward to was being a grandmother.  How can I not love Norman Rockwell?

This was his art studio