Places I've never been part I

Usually I write about places I’ve been, It’s a kind of anal habit that I probably acquired when I was a scientist. However, today I would like to begin a series about places I’ve never been. Undoubtedly the most significant place I have never been is the United States of America. In part it’s been a lack of opportunity, but to be truthful also because to-date I’ve never wanted to go. Now my good American friends of whom I have several, know I say this not to offend but more as an expression of inclination. There will come a time undoubtedly when I will want to go and that will be when I am capable of enjoying what I will see. I have courtesy of chat been assiduously learning American for some time now and coming to grips with American culture and I have already begun to catalogue the things I admire that will one day prompt me to visit.


In essence this series is about those things. I think as good a place as any to start is with Norman Rockwell as he captured an essence of America and it's people that will one day prompt me to cross The Pond.

Furthermore I would like to dedicate this series to a wonderful American friend of mine who is currently in hospital as one of my ways of saying get better soon.


I can’t imagine Norman Rockwell needs any introduction to anyone. His paintings and illustrations vividly capture almost without peer American life in the mid 20th century. In the time-line of art history art historians have placed Norman Rockwell in the era of Commercial Art, wedged between Geometric Abstractionism (Piet Mondrian) and Abstract Expressionism (Jackson Pollack) which I feel I feel somehow devalues the importance of his work.


Forgetting all the clichéd mumbo jumbo I enjoy Rockwell because he makes me feel good about the human condition and I have to tell you the Mona Lisa doesn’t do that for me.

Perhaps as a romantic I delude myself, but I sense he captures an America as Americans like to see themselves?



As well as capturing the national mood.


If I have a favourite is has to be the ‘Runaway.’


Using a diner theme is one he came back to on more than one occasion.


Having said that he never shirked the big issues either


Perhaps less well known is that Norman Rockwell used photography as a tool to bring his ideas to life. Once artists sketched but today the photo is often a far better aide-mémoire.