Norman's Secret Barn

This entry is in honor of my sweet mother, Mary Louise Alder, who passed away this past May.  Mary was an avid artist and art enthusiast, and particularly relished in painting landscapes and still-life images in watercolor.  Mary trained as an artist in Los Angeles in her 20’s, and worked as a commercial artist for a number of years.  During her training, Mary recounted that she learned that Norman Rockwell would be in Los Angeles over one summer doing some painting.  One day, her girlfriend, who was also an art student, came excitedly to class and told Mary that she was certain she had learned where Norman was painting.  The two of them jumped into her car, and headed for the outskirts of town to a large barn in the middle of a field.  Upon arrival, the two of them crept silently up to the barn window and peered over the edge.  Sure enough, there was Norman Rockwell busy painting a model who was in a baseball pose.  Eventually he noticed the two rogue students, and invited them in.  Norman engaged them in conversation, and was interested in their studies.  Mary recalled that there was an assistant artist also there.  When Norman had completed the more important parts of the painting (i.e., faces, hands, ect), the assistant took over to complete the lesser important parts in Rockwell style.  This was a favorite memory of Mary’s, and left an indelible impression on her. Her recounts of it add to the rich artistic legacy that Mary left to all her posterity.  I think of her often and lovingly, and I miss her very much.  

LESSON LEARNED:  A simple shared memory may become part of a treasured family legacy.

FEEDBACK:  WHAT STORIES FROM FAMILY MEMBERS DO YOU RECALL THAT HAVE TAKEN ON SIGNIFICANT MEANING WHEN THEY PASS AWAY?