Watercolor on the Hillside

Exhibition Opening: Raw Nerve
The Political Art of Steve Brodner

Explosive is an apt term to describe the drawings of political artist and caricaturist Steve Brodner, who has produced stunning visual reflections on our nation’s leaders and their legacies for the past 30 years. The New Yorker’s official political illustrator for the 2008 presidential campaign, Steve Brodner is an award-winning commentator and visual humorist whose imagery has appeared in Esquire, The New York Times, New York, Mother Jones, The Nation, National Lampoon, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, The Washington Post, and The Village Voice. Join us for an exciting pre-election evening! This cutting-edge opinion-maker will offer personal perspectives at 6:30 p.m. Free for Museum members; $15 non-members.

Life After Black: The Visual
Journals of Barron Storey

An illustrator, graphic novelist, and noted educator, Barron Storey has created award-winning artworks for the covers and pages of Time, National Geographic, Saturday Review, and The Sandman: Endless Nights among others. The artist’s paintings are held in the collections of the National Air and Space Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, and the National Portrait Gallery, and his published journals include Life After Black and Marat/Sade Journals.

All programs are free with Museum admission. Children age eighteen and under are free!

Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist

Join us for a special screening of this in-depth documentary on Will Eisner, "the godfather of the American comic book." Filmmakers Andrew D. Cooke and Jon B. Cooke will be with us to discuss their insightful film about one of the greatest innovators in the history of the art form.

The creator of A Contract with God and The Spirit, Will Eisner considered himself "a graphic witness reporting on life, death, heartbreak, and the never ending struggle to prevail." From the early days of comic books in the 1930s through six revolutionary decades, he stretched the boundaries and advocated more sophisticated storytelling techniques, and then reinvented himself as the architect of the graphic novel format.

Through interviews with such notable figures as Kurt Vonnegut, Michael Chabon, Frank Miller, Jules Feiffer and Art Spiegelman, Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist provides us with an intimate look at this comic book master, who had an undeniable influence on the medium. The screening is free with Museum admission.

The Art of Graphic Novels Made Easy and FUN!

1:00 Tour LitGraphic with Museum staff to get ideas for your own comic-style booklet.

1:30 Meet a dynamic duo of drawing! Andy Fish and Veronica Hebard will tell us all the tips and tricks cartoonists use in this comic arts workshop for all ages. Known for their friendly teaching style, their classes have just as much laughter as art making.

3:00 After the workshop, take a little more time to put the finishing touches on your art or booklet.

Free for children. Adults free with Museum admission.

Arts Celebration Day: A Comic
Arts Festival

Join us for an exciting day of workshops, talks, performances, and demonstrations in celebration of the art of the graphic novel. Artists and authors Howard Cruse, Marc Hempel, and Mark Wheatley, whose works are on view, and graphic media specialist Robin Brenner, are among the noted presenters who will offer insights into this important, popular art form. Click here for an itinerary for the festival
Free with Museum admission.

Linwood Living History: Meet Mr. Butler

Spend some time getting to know Charles Butler, New York City attorney and owner of Linwood, our gracious Berkshire Cottage overlooking the Housatonic River. Mr. Butler will greet you in the library to share stories of his life and times and introduce you to the household staff. Find out if he makes the 3:10 train to New York! Participants are invited to join him for refreshments in the parlor after the program, which brings the owner of this 1859 home to life.
$5, members free. Does not include Museum admission.

Thought Bubbles: Make Your Graphic Novel POP!

Blend the art of writing, drawing, and storyboarding in this exciting workshop for teens exploring the process of creating a graphic novel. Educator and gifted graphic novelist, Tim Callahan, will guide young cartoonists through the process of moving an idea from first frame to finished comic book. Tim Callahan is the author and illustrator of Teenagers from the Future and other stories.
Classes are designed for ages 13 and up. Individual classes: $6, $5 members. All five classes: $25, $20 members.

Magic, Reading, and Comics

1:00 Comics are fun to read and can lead to a love of literature. This family friendly tour of LitGraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel will celebrate the magic of books, which bring the world to our door.

1:30 A performance by magician Ed the Wizard will bring us to far away places and inspire us to climb mountains, tame lions, and travel through time!

2:30 p.m Create your own comic strip adventure for a wizard that you design.

Free for children. Adults free with Museum admission.

Art for Lunch
Roots! A Lively History of Pictorial Communication

Discover the roots of American illustration in this lively series of informal talks with Norman Rockwell Museum curator Charles Sable. The origins of pictorial communication from prehistory to the twentieth century will be explored, offering insights into the intersecting roles of the artist, economics, and culture. The examination of nineteenth and twentieth visual culture will culminate in the career of legendary American illustrator, Norman Rockwell. Charles Sable has been a distinguished curator and museum educator for more than twenty years.

Please bring lunch, we’ll provide beverages and dessert. $6, members free.

Adult Writing Workshop: 99 Ways to Tell a Story! How to Write a Graphic Novel

Sharpen your pencils and get ready to think outside the box! Illustrator Matt Madden, the author and illustrator of 99 Ways to Tell a Story, will lead engaging exercises in literary and artistic style that will inspire the graphic novelist in you. Point of view, personal narration, and the interplay of pictures and words will be explored during this exciting interactive program. Materials will be provided.

Matt Madden is a New York-based cartoonist and illustrator who teaches comic art and drawing at the School of Visual Arts. His recent books include 99 Ways to Tell a Story: Exercises in Style and A Fine Mess, an anthology. He has recently completed a comics textbook called Drawing Words and Writing Pictures with his wife and fellow artist, Jessica Abel. Their work is featured in LitGraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel. Please bring lunch; beverages and snacks will be provided.
$15, $10 members

Community Connections: Model Citizens

Find out what it was like to pose for America’s favorite illustrator from Norman Rockwell’s own models, who share their personal experiences. Free with museum admission.

A Comedy Revue Point of View

1:00 A single story can be told in many different ways, depending on your point of view. Discover the many points of view represented in LitGraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel during this family-friendly tour for all ages.

1:30 Filled with energy, wit and whimsy, “Stand-Up Chameleon” Jackson Gillman draws upon his talents as songsmith, storyteller, and movement artist to delight audiences of all ages. His interactive performance will take a humorous look at our daily rituals from a variety of perspectives—from wake-up to bedtime.

2:30 Experiment with diverse artistic viewpoints during this drop in art class for all.

Free for children. Adults free with Museum admission.

Presidential Performance JFK: In His Own Words

Join us for an inspirational evening with actor Mike Lowe, whose deft recreation brings to life the voice, presence, and vision of the late President John F. Kennedy. Performed in the Museum’s galleries surrounded by Norman Rockwell’s paintings of American presidents and candidates, this program invites those old enough to remember and those born after 1963 to experience his sense of hope, spirit, and duty.

$8, $6 members.

Community Connections: Model Citizens

Find out what it was like to pose for America’s favorite illustrator from Norman Rockwell’s own models, who share their personal experiences. Free with museum admission.

The Business of Art: Self-Publishing
Your Comics

Join illustrator Alec Longstreth for this special focus on the business of comics! Ways to succeed in cartooning and self-publishing will be the subject of this lively session, which will offer inside information on production, distribution, promotion, and the importance of networking. Aspiring artist or those who are new to the genre are welcome. Participants are invited to bring a portfolio for review.

Alex Longstreth is an experienced self-publisher and the winner of the 2005 Ignatz Award for an Outstanding Minicomic. He is currently working Basewood, his first graphic novel, and his illustrations have been commissioned by such noted clients as Nickelodeon, National Geographic for Kids, and Scholastic among others.

$10, $5 museum members.

Presidential Performance George Washington: Our Nation’s First President

Explore the roots of American government with George Washington, who swore to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution” as the first United States President on April 30, 1789. This riveting first-person performance will celebrate the life, times, struggles, and triumphs of this historic national figure in the Museum’s galleries, surrounded by Norman Rockwell’s paintings of American presidents and candidates. With more than ten years experience portraying George Washington, actor Carl Closs invites your reflection on a bygone era.

$8, $6 members.

Comics and Cartooning

Create your own comics during this exciting workshop series with talented author and illustrator Marek Bennett. Lively, engaging art activities and gallery experiences will inspire experimentation with the language of comics through the introduction of the use of character, plot, and setting; task sequencing; comic dialogue; book building, and much more.

An elementary educator and comics artist, Marek Bennett is the creator of Mimi’s Doughnuts Zine, an all ages comic series. Take one fun-filled class or take them all! Classes are designed for children age eight and up. Individual classes: $6, $5 members. All five classes: $25, $20 members.

Superheroes!

1:00 Discover feats of great strength in the Museum’s galleries during this family tour for all ages.

1:30 You can do it! Draw yourself as a Superhero with the guidance of Andrew Wales, illustrator of TAILS and Girl Power Science Squad, comic strips that appear in Boy's Quest and Hopscotch magazines.

2:30 Turn your drawing into a colorful hand-painted poster that will amaze your friends when they see you as a Superhero!

Adults free with Museum admission.

Exhibition Opening Reception: 22nd Annual Berkshire County High School Art Show

Enjoy an afternoon in celebration of the talented youth of Berkshire County high schools. This exhibition features the top ten artworks from each participating school. At 2 p.m., graphic illustrators Andy Fish and Veronica Hebard will discuss trends in graphic novels and illustration today, as well as their journeys in art.

The 22nd Annual Berkshire County High-School Art Show is sponsored by The Legacy Banks Foundation. Free for all Berkshire County high-school students, their families and teachers. Others free with Museum admission.

Community Connections: Model Citizens

Find out what it was like to pose for America’s favorite illustrator from Norman Rockwell’s own models, who share their personal experiences. Free with museum admission.

Storytelling Performance for Adults:
Out of Her Mind

Adults from all walks of life will appreciate the quirky stories and twisted tales of professional storyteller Carolyn Calandro, inspired by our current exhibition, Lit Graphic: The World of the Graphic Novel. Taken from a life full of experience and roads less traveled, Ms. Calandro weaves together a loose-knit tapestry that is both humorous and insightful. Refreshments will be served!
$8, $6 members

Art Comes Alive! Family Day: Creating Cartoons and Comics

We had a capacity crowd this Saturday at the Norman Rockwell Museum for our whirlwind overview of Comics basics. Museum visitors enjoyed a tour of the LitGraphic exhibit hosted by Melinda Georgeson, then we got right down to business in the downstairs classroom.

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