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Piedmont Arts Presents: "Norman Rockwell"

Piedmont Arts will present an exhibit of original prints by famed Saturday Evening Post illustrator Norman Rockwell, featuring the artist's timeless images created for a special edition of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

In 1935, publisher George Macy invited Norman Rockwell to illustrate this special edition of Twain's famous novels. Rockwell visited Hannibal, Missouri, Twain's boyhood town, to find authentic details to include in his work. Twain's vivid descriptions of character, setting and mood were an inspiration to the illustrator, who considered each of the writer's scenes to be "complete and perfect to the last detail."

"These were classics," noted Rockwell. "I read through the books, making notes of which scenes would make good pictures. Of course certain scenes-for instance, Tom whitewashing his Aunt Polly's fence-were required."

Norman Rockwell's Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn will be on display in the Piedmont Arts galleries March 10 through April 28, 2012. Also on display, Enigmas and Life: A Retrospective of Works by Sandy Puckett in the Lynwood Artists Gallery.

A Members Reception will be held in honor of these exhibits on Friday, March 9, 2012 at 5:30 PM in the Piedmont Arts galleries, located at 215 Starling Ave, Martinsville. Piedmont Arts members and guests are invited to attend. RSVP attendance to 276.632.3221 or online at www.piedmontarts.org. Babysitting is available for $5 per child. Please RSVP for this service.

 In conjunction with Norman Rockwell's Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, Piedmont Arts presents Mark Twain at Large, a special event featuring Ron Jewell as the famous author. Jewell's personable performance is delivered as if the humorist is telling Twain's tales and yarns for the first time. Jewell channels his muse so convincingly that the audience will believe they have actually spent the evening with the real Mark Twain. Piedmont Arts presents Mark Twain at Large will be held Friday, March 30, 2012 at 7:30 pm at TheatreWorks' Black Box Theatre, located a 44 Franklin St, Uptown Martinsville. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at Piedmont Arts or online at www.piedmontarts.org.

 

 

Piedmont Arts is a nonprofit art museum and educational outreach center in Martinsville, Virginia that facilitates ongoing enrichment of the lives of the people of Martinsville, Henry County and the surrounding area, through positive exposure, education and experiences in the visual and performing arts. Piedmont Arts is a statewide partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is accredited by the American Association of Museums. Learn more at www.piedmontarts.org.