Norman Rockwell was one of America's most beloved artists. He produced over 4,000 paintings, although the majority of them have been destroyed or are in private collections, such as The Peach Cup, an original owned by movie director George Lucas and Triple Self-Portrait, a sketch owned by Steven Spielberg. The Norman Rockwell Museum is in Stockbridge, Massachusetts - well worth the visit if you are a fan of his.
Although not considered by many to be one of his major works, a favored of mine (which we do not own, I'm sorry to say), is A Family Tree, an original oil painting which is featured in a book that we own called Norman Rockwell, A Sixty Year Retrospective.
At the top of this graphic illustration is an angelic looking little boy. His family tree is spread out below him. His parents area smiling housewife type mother and a rugged father. His first set of grandparents appear to be a no-nonsense dark skinned cowboy whose lady is blond - possibly a lady of the night. The other grandparents show up as a scholarly "dandy" and his well dressed wife. It gets better. Great Grandpa is a full bearded mountain man with his Indian woman; while their contemporaries are puritans, the man wearing a clerical collar and backed up by a tough-lady wife.Great-Great Grandfather is a Civil War soldier from the South with a skeptical spouse, and the other set is a Civil War soldier from the North with a demure wife. On it goes until we skip down to a really rough pirate and his just as rough looking lady friend.
Bits of DNA and traits from each of those individuals swirled through the family line to bequeath something to the makeup of the child who may look angelic but probably has more than a fraction of the rascal in him, as well.
Rockwell's humor blooms throughout this painting, but like his other works, it also contains fascinating glimpses of truth about a slice of American life. We all, American or not, emanate from a variety of individuals with diverse personalities, occupations, interests and experiences. Whatever came together to contribute to what you are today also got all mixed up with experiences and environment. There is enough variety there to allow you to be a unique, fantastic individual.
No matter if your experiences have been good or bad, if you determine to do so - it is wise to use them for good. Just because one of your ancestors was like that, you don't have to be a fixed way. Did you harbor abuse as a child? Does that necessarily mean that you have to be abused at this point in your life now - or that you in turn must abuse others? Absolutely not. Has life kept you from realizing your potential and your dreams? So? All humans have dreams that they'll never realize; but everyone who desires to, can have other equally fulfilling successes that can turn into very satisfying pursuits.
If you are married, here's something you can do that can hold you fast together. Plan a time with your spouse in a quiet, romantic spot where each of you can contribute what you know about your respective pasts - the good things - and what dreams you had that might still be possible to achieve. Make up your minds as you do - and in fact, it would be good if you put your arms around each other and vow it - that you will not do anything purposely to hinder either of you from realizing at least one of your dreams. Be sure it isn't one sided; that it is reasonable; it is within reach; financially and practically (if you can't sing, don't aspire to be an opera star) and that above all, that it won't harm the marriage or the family unit. In fact, make plans about how you can encourage one another. You are going to be each other's most sincere fan - the rooting section for your lives. As your children - presuming you have any - see Dad supporting Mom and Mom supporting Dad, they will realize that they aren't the only ones in the universe; and yet they, too, can things in life as their parent's do That's security for them.
That's why you must have unity and love in your relationship. And that's why we have books and material for women and men to show you just how to do that. In fact, we are so eager to save your marriage from unhappiness, that we have spent a great deal of our lives producing material to help you achieve it. Visit our site now and get going, so your past won't affect your future except for good.
Margaret Hardisty International Best Selling Author and Speaker Love Relationship Headquarters
Although not considered by many to be one of his major works, a favored of mine (which we do not own, I'm sorry to say), is A Family Tree, an original oil painting which is featured in a book that we own called Norman Rockwell, A Sixty Year Retrospective.
At the top of this graphic illustration is an angelic looking little boy. His family tree is spread out below him. His parents area smiling housewife type mother and a rugged father. His first set of grandparents appear to be a no-nonsense dark skinned cowboy whose lady is blond - possibly a lady of the night. The other grandparents show up as a scholarly "dandy" and his well dressed wife. It gets better. Great Grandpa is a full bearded mountain man with his Indian woman; while their contemporaries are puritans, the man wearing a clerical collar and backed up by a tough-lady wife.Great-Great Grandfather is a Civil War soldier from the South with a skeptical spouse, and the other set is a Civil War soldier from the North with a demure wife. On it goes until we skip down to a really rough pirate and his just as rough looking lady friend.
Bits of DNA and traits from each of those individuals swirled through the family line to bequeath something to the makeup of the child who may look angelic but probably has more than a fraction of the rascal in him, as well.
Rockwell's humor blooms throughout this painting, but like his other works, it also contains fascinating glimpses of truth about a slice of American life. We all, American or not, emanate from a variety of individuals with diverse personalities, occupations, interests and experiences. Whatever came together to contribute to what you are today also got all mixed up with experiences and environment. There is enough variety there to allow you to be a unique, fantastic individual.
No matter if your experiences have been good or bad, if you determine to do so - it is wise to use them for good. Just because one of your ancestors was like that, you don't have to be a fixed way. Did you harbor abuse as a child? Does that necessarily mean that you have to be abused at this point in your life now - or that you in turn must abuse others? Absolutely not. Has life kept you from realizing your potential and your dreams? So? All humans have dreams that they'll never realize; but everyone who desires to, can have other equally fulfilling successes that can turn into very satisfying pursuits.
If you are married, here's something you can do that can hold you fast together. Plan a time with your spouse in a quiet, romantic spot where each of you can contribute what you know about your respective pasts - the good things - and what dreams you had that might still be possible to achieve. Make up your minds as you do - and in fact, it would be good if you put your arms around each other and vow it - that you will not do anything purposely to hinder either of you from realizing at least one of your dreams. Be sure it isn't one sided; that it is reasonable; it is within reach; financially and practically (if you can't sing, don't aspire to be an opera star) and that above all, that it won't harm the marriage or the family unit. In fact, make plans about how you can encourage one another. You are going to be each other's most sincere fan - the rooting section for your lives. As your children - presuming you have any - see Dad supporting Mom and Mom supporting Dad, they will realize that they aren't the only ones in the universe; and yet they, too, can things in life as their parent's do That's security for them.
That's why you must have unity and love in your relationship. And that's why we have books and material for women and men to show you just how to do that. In fact, we are so eager to save your marriage from unhappiness, that we have spent a great deal of our lives producing material to help you achieve it. Visit our site now and get going, so your past won't affect your future except for good.
Margaret Hardisty International Best Selling Author and Speaker Love Relationship Headquarters
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