Art In Action: Happy Thanksgiving
By Darla McCammon
This has been an incredible journey as we discovered many aspects played by the turkey on our nation and our lives.
From learning that Ben Franklin wanted the turkey to be our national bird rather than the eagle, to our journey with America’s bird artist Audubon showing us a wild turkey, to gentle Grandma Moses showing us a rather hair-raising expedition to find that special bird for Thanksgiving dinner, we arrive today to a sweet little boy praying over a well-cooked Thanksgiving dinner. Norman Rockwell captured expressions so beautifully and always touches our heart with his art.
Rockwell often received criticism from people who said he was not a “real” artist, and others who panned his work as banal but the American public ultimately showed their wisdom above that of the critics by appreciating and loving the mood Rockwell evoked in everything he ever pained. He could switch from raw humor, as we saw in his work about Cousin Reginald being chased by the turkey down on the farm, to this sensitive and spiritual rendition of the thanks we all ned to be giving when Thanksgiving arrives on Thursday. I hope you have a joyous and wonderful day together with your loved ones.
For some fun with your family on Thanksgiving, try the following Jeopardy-type questions:
- What was the name of the main who created an entire book with pictures of America’s birds?
- What bird did Benjamin Franklin argue should be our national bird instead of the bald eagle?
- Who painted the humorous picture of Cousin Reginald being chased by a turkey?
- Of the art discussed all this month in this column, whose work sold in 2000 for over $8 million?
- What artist did not start painting until age 78?
- Norman Rockwell was famous for painting the covers of what magazine?
- What was the magazine cover, however, where Rockwell painted Cousin Reginald’s race to escape the turkey?
- Who illustrated the famous books “Tom Sawyer” and “Huckleberry Finn”?
- Who re-introduced wild turkeys to our northern Indiana area in the last few years?
- Which of the artists discussed this month had strong ties to the Boy Scouts?
- Who was the artist who put up white wallpaper in the living room and then painted a scene on it?
- Which artist discussed this month was born on a sugar plantation in Haiti?
Answers: John James Audubon; turkey; Normal Rockwell; J.J. Audubon; Grandma Moses; Saturday Evening Post; The Country Gentlemen; Norman Rockwell; trick question—but it was the DNR, not local breeders; Norman Rockwell; Granda Moses; John James Audubon
Upcoming and Current Events
Please contact Darla McCammon at (574) 527-4044 or at [email protected] if you have an event to mention.
- The LAA member show exhibit with award-winning work is open from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Through Dec. 28, photography by Florida artist Darlene Romano will be on display at Warsaw City Hall Gallery, 102 S. Buffalo St. It s open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays. Online views of more work by this artist can be found at www.darleneromano.com.
- The gallery at Rua is on display through Jan. 12.