****** THE SCOTTY INGRAM COLLECTORS CLUB ********

Newsletter #Vol. 1
Newsletter #Vol. 2

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CONTENTS
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Introduction

How I Met Him

Great Stories
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INTRODUCTION
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Greetings to all! I started thinking about creating a Norman Rockwell web site over a year ago. My goal was twofold; first was to create a site that had a club where fans of Norman Rockwell could learn more about him. I also wanted to make myself available for people to ask questions or share stories. Secondly, I wanted to have an online store that sold only the best in Norman Rockwell collectibles and memorabilia. Frankly, there is a lot of junk on the market that does not do justice to the memory of Rockwell. Creating a comprehensive web site is far more work and much more expensive than I had ever anticipated. It is also more fun than I had anticipated, probably because the subject matter is so dear to my heart. I am happy to report that my club is growing by leaps and bounds with people joining from all over the world. I have members from Argentina, Singapore and Italy. I'll have to double-check this, but I am pretty sure that I have members from every state in the country. It is growing every day. This makes it all worthwhile. As you might guess, the one question that I get asked more than any other is, "What was he really like?" My goal with these newsletters is to answer that question for you in a variety of ways. You will learn about him through stories that are the result of my personal interaction with him, as well as stories from other people who knew him. I hope that after a period of time you will feel as if you knew him personally. Enjoy the newsletters and, as always, email me with your comments and suggestions.
Thank You
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HOW I MET HIM
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One evening in 1954 there was a knock on our door. We lived in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, a picturesque New England small town set in the beautiful rolling hills of the Berkshires. There stood a man smoking a pipe who I did not recognize, but since I was only four years old, adults all looked the same to me. Big! Since the town was so small and everybody knew everybody, it was not an unusual occurrence for someone to knock on your door and it was sort of an exciting occasion. I had never heard of or seen Norman Rockwell before. My brother, Ken, had never heard of Norman Rockwell. My parents had heard that the guy who did those Saturday Evening Post covers had recently moved into town. As my parents recall, Rockwell introduced himself. After initial pleasantries were exchanged, Rockwell told us the reason for his visit. He had seen my brother Ken who was (and still is) six years older than me. Ken played baseball in the Little League and Rockwell picked him out as the kid he would like to use as a model for an upcoming Saturday Evening Post cover. My parents did not even realize that Rockwell used models and certainly were flattered that he would choose their son out of all the kids on the baseball team. My parents quickly agreed. There was no talk about what he would be paid. There was no talk about contracts. It was something that my parents thought might be fun since my brother would end up on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post. I'm not sure that my brother thought that it was going to be all that much fun, but there was not a heck of a lot he could say about it. The deal was done. My parents immediately liked Norman Rockwell. They recall that he had a very easy, affable way about him, like someone you just knew was going to be a good neighbor. To me, he just looked like another tall person. And that pipe stunk. Next Issue: How did I get in the Picture?
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GREAT STORIES
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I am going to try to end every newsletter with a special story about how Norman Rockwell has affected people's lives. If you have a special story, email it to me. Who knows, you might get published! This story comes to me from a retired school principal in Colorado. "I have two Rockwells hanging in my house. In the midst of some intense "problem solving", I often stopped and regained my perspective while looking at these lovely children. I also remember my father in Lincoln, Nebraska reading and discussing articles from the Saturday Evening Post. He talked "issues" with me and gave me the idea that I was a smart, competent girl. He was an intellectual meat cutter who loved the covers that Rockwell painted. It's wonderful to have the time to write these things to you and to tell you that I remember "that boy" (me) well. Until next time, be happy and be well.

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CONTENTS
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Rockwell Renaissance?
How I Met Him (continued)
Sneak Preview
Great Stories
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ROCKWELL RENAISSANCE?
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I'm sure that most of you are aware that there is a very major national tour in progress of original Norman Rockwell art. As I write this, the collection resides at the High Museum in Atlanta, Georgia. Some of your fellow club members have traveled great distances to see the exhibit in Atlanta. They all report to me that it is spectacular. Since the opening of the exhibit, there have been articles written about Rockwell in the New Yorker, Forbes, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, People and Art News. The Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News have done in-depth stories about my web site and the collectors club. Norman Rockwell is obviously very much on the minds of the press. The gist of these articles deal in large part with the artist vs. illustrator debate that I have been hearing about for the twenty years that I have been involved with Norman Rockwell art. There is an interesting phenomenon taking place and here's my take on it. For years, the snobs of the art world classified Norman Rockwell as an illustrator, as if this is some lower life form in the art world. Norman Rockwell proudly talked about himself as an illustrator, yet always wanted to be recognized as a great artist. Take a long look at the Triple Self Portrait. You will see on the right side of the canvas pictures of some of the greatest artists the world has known, including his idol, Rembrandt. Clearly, Rockwell envisioned himself in that kind of company, yet the irony is that his contribution to the art world consists primarily of illustrations. Nevertheless, I believe that at the dawn of the new millennium, Americans yearn for an artist who they can call their own. As time passes on, I believe that the artist vs. illustrator debate takes on less meaning and substance. To Americans, Norman Rockwell has chronicled life in America from little children playing baseball to a little African American girl being escorted to school by U.S. Marshals. For the majority of Americans, Rockwell is their artist. He represents all that was good in our lives. He captured the essence and the beauty of the ordinary events in life. Clearly, as you can see from all the press that he is receiving, America does not want to forget Rockwell; rather they are clinging to him, holding him high on their shoulders and saying "This is our Artist".
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HOW I MET HIM (continued)
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My brother did indeed get invited to model for Norman Rockwell. When the big day arrived to go to his studio (which at that time was on Main Street in Stockbridge over the local food market), my mother dragged me along since I was only four years old and couldn't be left alone. My mother recalled that my brother Ken was very busy that day. The "Post" cover that he was to model for required that he do multiple poses. There were quite a few boys in this particular painting and he was asked to portray many different looks and personalities. I found all of this to be fascinating. There was this guy with his head covered by a blanket - actually he was the photographer taking pictures of the modeling session. Cameras in those days demanded of the photographer that he/she cover their head with a cloth to be completely in the dark so that they could see the image clearly. Then there was that guy with the pipe running around making funny faces and contorting his body in all sorts of ways. Of course it was Rockwell showing my brother how he wanted him to pose. Nevertheless, it was amusing. To understand this story, there are two things that you need to know about me at the age of four. One, I always wore my baseball cap backwards with the brim facing the rear. Those of you who have teenagers or are acquainted with teenagers these days know that I was way ahead of my time regarding this fashion statement. Number two; I loved to suck my fingers. I did it in a rather peculiar way though. I sucked my two middle fingers and planted my index finger in my nose - all at the same time. It was quite a sight, but it did not bother me one bit who saw me doing this. I was not a "closet sucker." Apparently Rockwell thought that this was an interesting pose, because I was about to go down in history. Rockwell asked my mother if she wouldn't mind if little Scotty be included in the pose. She, of course, agreed and Rockwell unwittingly played a cruel joke on me. You see, this was my debut as a Norman Rockwell model. I will be remembered for time in memorium as the little kid on the cover of the August 21, 1954 Saturday Evening Post who had his baseball cap on backwards and his fingers stuck in his mouth and nose. The cover has since become to be known as "Home Plate". Certainly an embarrassing pose to start off your career, but Rockwell was, if anything, accurate. Next Issue: And Away We Go
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SNEAK PREVIEW
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It has recently been my pleasure to meet Mr. Dennis Seibel. Dennis is an actor, singer, historian and generally talented person. Dennis performs a one-man show that portrays Norman Rockwell in his studio. I must admit that I was skeptical when he first called and told me about it, but after I learned that the show was licensed by the Norman Rockwell Estate and that he had worked on the show closely with Thomas Rockwell, Norman's son, then I was interested. I have always said that I won't sell Rockwell "junk" on this web site. I will tell you that this video, entitled "A Visit With Norman Rockwell - An Intimate Portrait" is one of the best things I have ever seen pertaining to Rockwell. Dennis does a masterful job of looking like and acting like Norman Rockwell. He captures Rockwell's personality in a way that is almost uncanny. Rockwell's formidable humor comes through full blast in Dennis's performance. You will hear Rockwell's complete history told in the first person. After you watch this, you will swear that you have spent 90 minutes in Rockwell's studio with the artist himself. You will come away thinking that you "know" Norman Rockwell. I call this a "sneak preview" because it is not on my web site yet. It will be soon. I have the only web site on the entire Internet that sells this video. The cost is $19.95 and worth every dime of it. If you would like to have a copy of this video, and every single Rockwell fan should, then send me an email at scotty@rockwellclub.com or call 303-670-6700. I guarantee that you will love this portrayal of Norman Rockwell or I will give you your money back. No questions asked.
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GREAT STORIES
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This from a club member: "I am abnormally obsessed with Norman Rockwell. I have loved him for over 25 years. He absolutely epitomizes Americana to me. He paints a life I wish I could have been a part of. My all time favorite is the painting of the chair and the gloves, hat, blue Keds and garden tools on the back porch. It depicts my grandmother perfectly. I cry every time I look at the picture. It really means a great deal to me." It never ceases to amaze me how Rockwell touches people's lives.
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PS
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Just a few things that I'd like you to know.
1) Lots of people have seen the Rockwell video on PBS. If you like that video, you can order it directly from PBS for $19.98 (after shipping charges the final cost is $24.93). Call 1-800-336-1917.
2) I do not rent or sell the names, email addresses of my club members.
3) If you do not wish to receive any further newsletters, just email Scotty@rockwellclub.com and say "unsubscribe" or "don't send me any more newsletters" will work too.