A couple hour drive west of Boston, nearly to the New York state line in Stockbridge, is the Norman Rockwell Museum. 

The site was Rockwell’s home for the last 25 years of his life, and was turned into a museum housing over 700 of his paintings, drawings and studies (the largest collection in the world), along with a huge collection of personal artifacts.

Rockwell is perhaps best known for his 321 Saturday Evening Post covers, with his first in 1916, “Boy with Baby Carriage.”  His inspiring “Rosie the Riveter” and “Four Freedoms” series remain lasting visual tributes to World War II, and his holiday images take us back to a kinder, gentler era.

Although many art critics and historians do not consider Rockwell a “serious” artist, there can be no doubt of his immense public popularity, and he is one of the best-known illustrators in history.  His Americana themes, showcasing the ideas of kindness, tolerance, and freedom, resonated with the public, and viewing his collection is a retrospective of family life over the past century.

The museum is located at 9 Glendale Road, Route 183, Stockbridge, Massachusetts.  It is open daily (except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day).  Summer hours (May-October, and holidays) are weekdays 10 am – 4 pm; weekends 10 am – 5 pm.  Daily winter and holiday hours are 10 am – 5 pm.

Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for collect students (with ID), $13.50 for seniors, and youth (18 and under) free with an adult.  Tickets may be purchase onsite, or online.  An audio tour is available for an additional $5 for adults, and $4 for seniors and youth.  Parking is free.

No photography, backpacks, or large packages are permitted inside the museum galleries.

Image credit:  wikimedia (museum); Amazon (Runaway print); Amazon (Doctor & the Doll print)

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Post from: The Boston Traveler

Billed as “a look into John’s life through his artwork,” the event will feature the largest collection of Lennon’s art on paper from the years 1968 to 1980, including limited-edition prints and song lyrics, that express Lennon’s stance on peace, hope, and love.

The traveling exhibition has helped contribute thousands of dollars to charities worldwide throughout its fifteen-year existence in the United States, and this weekend’s showings will continue that history. As a result, attendees will be asked to donate $2.00 at the door to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Boston, always a worthy cause.

Not familiar with Lennon’s song “Power to the People”? No worries because I tracked down the video, which is located after the jump.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

On Saturday and Sunday, April 12–13, Seaport World Trade Center (200 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, 877-732-7678) will host the exhibition based on the idea that older is often better.

Art lovers who have an affinity for pretty, mature things, such as vintage clothing and textiles, will be able to browse to their heart’s content among the wares of 253 vendors scheduled to participate in three separate shows: The Boston Antiques Show, The Boston Antiquarian Book & Ephemera Fair, and The Boston Antique Textile & Vintage Fashion Show.

Seminars and discussion opportunities are always a plus at these types of conventions because they give attendees a little something extra to take home that you can’t just buy anywhere. Boston Antiques Weekend excels in this area, as well, with a series of seminars in the fields of (1) antiques, (2) textiles and vintage fashion, and (3) books and ephemera, all sponsored by The New England Antiques Journal and Acadia Insurance.

The topics range from Acquiring Antique Rugs Today to Three Centuries of American Samplers, 1620–1920 to Treasures in the Attic – Old and Rare Books. Interested individuals who have purchased a ticket to the overall event can attend these educational sessions for free.

An even bigger draw for the cost-conscious is the $2 discount available via the special online Discount Admission Coupon. Print the coupon and take it along to the ticket office to reduce the regular price of adult tickets, which are $17 for a weekend pass and $12 for one day. In addition, hours are 10am–6pm on Saturday and 10am–5pm on Sunday. [More Information]

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Fusco and Four are well-known for their work producing the Boston International Fine Art Show (BIFAS), now in its twelfth year, and they’ll launch their latest joint effort at The Cyclorama (Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont Street, South End, 617-363-0405).

AD20/21 focuses on modern to contemporary art, with attention given to 21st century fine art and design, as well as various decorative arts movements, including Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Avant Garde. Forty fine art galleries and design exhibitors from the United States and Europe are contributing their expertise and inventory, providing attendees with access to furniture, glass, ceramics, decorative arts, jewelry, and a diverse display of paintings, sculpture, prints, and photography spanning the last 108 years.

The event kicks off on Thursday, April 3, with a catered Gala Preview benefiting Boston Architectural College. Tickets to the 5:30pm–9:30pm festivities are $100 and $250, and they include a complimentary catalog and re-admission the entire weekend.

On Friday, the Weekend Show officially begins, with hours from 1pm–9pm on Friday, 11am–8pm on Saturday, and 11am–5pm on Sunday. Tickets are a genuine bargain at just $15 (paid in advance or at the door) because holders can use them repeatedly for all three days. Since children under 12 are admitted free, turning the event into a fun family outing is effortless, too.

The roster of informative, appealing, and affordable — the last because admission is free for ticket holders — weekend programs ranges from Friday’s New Collectors’ Night reception and guest speakers (5pm–9pm) to Saturday’s Preserving the Modern lecture from Philip Johnson Glass House Executive Director Christy MacLear (12:30pm) to Sunday’s London Art Deco presentation and book signing with Arnold Schwartzman (2:30pm). Members of the general public are also welcome to enjoy the free concurrent exhibition Kinesthetics: Modernist Design 1925–2000 until Saturday, April 5. [More Information]

Get a head start on all of the exciting art and design fare to come with the following choice photographs provided by Fusco & Four/Ventures, LLC.

AD20/21: Art & Design of the 20th & 21st Centuries

All Images Provided by Fusco & Four/Ventures, LLC. Click the thumbnails to see larger images

Post from: The Boston Traveler

The massive exhibition event is held on the last weekend of March each year in order to give national artists the opportunity to show their creations to interested individuals. This time around, 175 acclaimed artists will participate, bringing along their unique and limited (these aren’t factory-produced goods, after all) artistic work, which includes ceramics, furniture, and jewelry.

An especially nice touch is the craft show’s focus on non-profit organizations at informational booths, in addition to the selection of artists who excel in their field. Other extras range from tours that cater to the visually impaired, a book seller, and lecture series.

The educational presentations feature subjects like Contemporary Rag Rug Weaving: Updating an Age-Old Technique (Friday, 2pm – 2:30pm), Craft: The Great Connector or Dreaming of Living in a Perfect World (Saturday, 1pm – 1:50pm), and Insect Lab: Bugs, Gears and an Elaboration of Steam Punk (Sunday, 12pm – 12:30pm). The last mixed-media topic incorporating bugs and science fiction is right up my alley; where else can you hear about something that intriguing and original?

CraftBoston takes place from 10am to 6pm on Friday and Saturday and from 11am to 5pm on Sunday. Admission will cost you $15, although seniors pay just $12 and children 12 and under get in for free. [More Information]

*And, yes, I intentionally left the s off the end of art in the title.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

This Saturday and Sunday, Hynes Convention Center (900 Boylston Street, Boston, 617-954-2000) will host yet another winning major event that is the largest of its kind in the northeastern United States. What else could I be speaking of but Anime Boston?

The annual Japanese animation convention began in 2003, under the auspices of the non-profit organization the New England Anime Society, which was established specifically to make the event a reality. Success beyond the founders’ wildest dreams quickly established the gathering as a legitimate must-attend, and anime fans have been flocking to it faithfully each year ever since in increasingly larger numbers.

Anime Boston 2008 features enough attractions to make even the most jaded anime lover’s head spin. In addition to the numerous voice and visual artists slated to appear, art shows, auctions, autograph signings, dances, guest panels, masquerades, music guests (Luv and Response, MC Frontalot, the pillows, tokyo pinsalocks), video games, workshops, and more are also all in the works.

Tickets to Anime Boston 2008 can be purchased at the door for $30 (Saturday only, 9am–2am) and $25 (Sunday only, 10am–5pm), and children aged 6 to 12 years as of March 21, 2008, are admitted for $10 less when accompanied by a paying adult. Costumes are welcome, too, of course. [More Information]

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Onboard for the comic-book and fantasy convention are a number of names recognizable to devoted comic-book fans. They include the Restoration Lab’s expert conservationist and restorer Susan Cicconi, renowned sword-and-sorcery artist Ken Kelly, Marvel Adventures and Mary Jane’s Norman Lee, Massachusetts native and Fantastic Four and The Phantom artist Paul Ryan, and Atomic Robo co-creator Scott Wegener.

The main attraction, however, is an industry pioneer truly worth making the trip to the convention to see. Boston Comic Con will welcome legendary retired pencil artist, Comic Book Hall of Fame inductee, and former publisher of DC Comics Carmine Infantino as its special guest.

Infantino is a widely respected figure who is especially praised for his efforts during the Silver Age of Comic Books, which lasted from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. Over the course of six decades, he has created and/or contributed to a number of comic-book characters adored by the public, ranging from Flash to Batman to Captain Marvel. Lucky Boston Comic Con attendees will have the opportunity to not only see and hear him in the flesh, but get his autograph, too.

Visit the official website for information on other artists appearing at the convention.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

The Cambridge Art Association has hosted an annual celebration of the Art of Love for two decades. What makes this event unique is the artwork it showcases, all of which is created by the talented hands and minds of special needs children from numerous schools in the Greater Boston area.

Today from 2pm to 4pm EST, the Cambridge Art association will hold a reception just for the yearly Art of Love exhibit. Children are welcome to the free event, and attendees will be served refreshments and will enjoy a performance by the Cambridge School of Weston’s Pocket Players, a touring children’s theatrical troupe that presents works in American Sign Language and spoken English. There will even be face-painting for the truly bold and playful.

The Art of Love exhibit runs through February 26 at University Place Gallery (124 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, 617-876-0246). The hours are Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm and Saturdays from 9am to 1pm.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

The undertaking geared toward an adult professional audience is sponsored by two familiar names on the Boston nightlife scene: Enrique Florendo and Tim Whitehair. Both promoters have been intimately involved with arts-oriented events in the Boston area in the past, and their current endeavor aims to continue the tradition free of charge and in a different venue each night. The ultimate goal is for attendees to spot something they like and then help support the local art community by purchasing a piece or three.

Learn more about what’s coming up during this weeklong celebration of sorts at the Artweek website, which includes information about how to commission participating artists, as well as purchase their work. The Boston Globe also has a detailed article on the genesis of the event, and you can experience it firsthand by attending one or more of the following scheduled exhibits.

Sunday | December 9, 2007

BARLOLA

• Time: 7pm to 10pm
• Location: 160 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 617.266.1122
• Music: Live Flamenco Performance + Various Artists
• Refreshments: Complimentary La Certeza Tequila Tasting

Monday | December 10, 2007

VIA MATTA

• Time: 7pm
• Location: 79 Park Plaza Boston, MA 617.422.0008
• Artwork: “Soundscapes & Landscapes” by Lisa Finch & Duncan Reid
• Music: Live Acoustic Cover Music
• Refreshments: Late-night Christiania Vodka Tasting at the main bar

Tuesday | December 11, 2007

PHO REPUBLIQUE

• Time: 9pm
• Location: 1415 Washington Street Boston, MA (South End) 617.262.0005
• Artwork: Jen Roberts and R. Scotti
• Music: Downtempo & House Music DJ set by Yuki, Wolfgang, Jeff Lindholm
• Refreshments: Complimentary Appetizers + Christiania Vodka Tasting

Wednesday | December 12, 2007

VINALIA

• Time: 10pm to 12am
• Location: 34 Summer Street Boston, MA 617.737.1777
• Artwork: ALLUME Art Collection & Tim Whitehair
• Music: The Circus Band live
• Refreshments: Complimentary Christiania Vodka Tasting

Thursday | December 13, 2007

ZOCALO

• Time: 7pm to 10pm
• Location: 414 Commonwealth Avenue Brighton, MA 617.277.5700
• Artwork: Tim Whitehair, Manuel Rodriguez Jr., Various Artists
• Music: Compiled by Brother Cleve
• Refreshments: Complimentary Mexican Appetizers

Friday | December 14, 2007

GOOD LIFE

• Time: 9pm to 2am
• Location: 28 Kingston Street Boston, MA 617.451.2622
• Artwork: Licsi Szatmari, Marisa Oge, Marie Share, Margaret Whitehair, Nicole Olenio
• Music: The Band of Gypsies, “The Female Perspective,” and House Music by DJs Francesco Spagna + Enrique Florendo
• Refreshments: Complimentary Appetizers + Christiania Vodka Tasting

Saturday | December 15, 2007

SOUTH END—FINAL EXHIBIT

• Time: 12pm to 8pm
• Location: 325 Columbus Street Boston, MA (South End)
• Artwork: Various Artists
• Music: Live Jam Session
• Refreshments: Complimentary Chistiania Vodka Cocktail Tasting

Post from: The Boston Traveler