SYMPOSIUM: Picturing Freedom: A Century of Illustration
Friday and Saturday, January 15 and 16, 2021
For designers, cartoonists, and illustrators, many questions arise when creating art that takes up socially significant, sometimes controversial themes. Some choose the D.I.Y. route, working independently with a free hand, without access to the large scale distribution that comes with a recognizable masthead. Others work with leading news organizations and magazines, agreeing to collaborate in exchange for access to audiences. Popular art has always involved such choices. What are the tradeoffs? What are the rewards?
This timely symposium will explore historical and contemporary notions of freedom as well as the role of illustration as a force in shaping public perception. How has published imagery affected decision-making, public policy, and cultural understanding? Prominent authors, illustrators, and scholars will offer perspectives. Share your observations by participating in all or some of these compelling conversations.
This program is supported in part by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.
Media Sponsor:
SKETCHATORIAN: A Contemporary Twist on Classic Illustration
Join arts and cultural historian Skylar Smith for this series of snappy virtual art experiences exploring the social, cultural, and material underpinnings of classic illustrations, which are re-contextualized for today’s times. The continuity and evolution of American identity, branding, politics, women’s rights, and gender identity is explored with humor, wit, and a deep dive into the history and cultural context of the moment.
Santa in Illustration
Back in the 1800’s, the image of Santa Claus was not portrayed as the round, jolly, bearded man that we know today. Throughout the latter half of the 19th century, Santa morphed through a variety of different looks. He was initially depicted as a thin elf-like man dressed in green, who was focused on protecting children and sailors. At other times, he appeared skinny and gaunt, with a scraggly beard and, while he may have worn a red coat, he sometimes wore a different colored hat, trimmed in black.
We Eat First with Our Eyes
Food, an essential for man’s survival, is a common theme in art throughout the ages. Today, some epicureans consider food as an art form with its unique power to engage all the senses, not only vision. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this blog looks at some of the mouthwatering imagery found in the Norman Rockwell Museum Collection.
Essays on Illustration
Rockwell Center Fellowships
Illustration Partnership Network
