Fort Worth Star-Telegram from Fort Worth, Texas • 62

vb yr 30 1 t--- 6C 1983 FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM SUNDAY NOVEMBER 27 1983 Norman Rockwell's town is still full of familiar faces By BILL RYAN 1983 Hartford Courant TOCKBRIDGE Mass Wander around the center of this picture-postcard town in the southern Berkshires and you get the feeling you are among old friends- Faces here and there have a certain familiarity that of onetime acquaintances you knew and hked and remember fondly But you have trouble recalling exactly where and how you last met Then you remember This is Norman Rockwell's town For the last 25 years of his life from 1953 to 1978 America's most beloved magazine illustrator and a master storyteller in oils lived and worked here And the faces you the woman decorating the Red Lion Inn with fresh flowers the fellow behind the desk at the insurance agency the elderly man walking down the street these are "Rockwell's people" the hometown folks he used as models for magazine illustrations most notably for the Saturday Evening Post and Look The original Saturday Evening Post is gone now as is the original Look And Rockwell died in 1978 But his people remain dozens of them They are older but still there living legacies of the painter And each has special memories of him JOAN FIRST MEMORY goes back to early in 1955 Her name was Joan Lahart then and in January of that year all that concerned her was her upcoming marriage in May to Francis (Moe) Mahoney One day though her older sister Peggy came to her with an unusual request Peggy had been asked to pose for a picture and she did not want to do it Would Joan do it particularly since the picture was going to be of a prospective bride and Joan was going to be married shortly? The man who wanted her to pose Peggy said was Norman Rockwell "Who is he?" Joan asked "He's a painter" Peggy said Joan agreed to pose and managed to get her fiance to participate The 6-foot 5-inch Mahoney had gone to Brown University on an athletic scholarship He was a former Boston Celtics basketball player whose career had been halted by the Korean conflict and he was not much for posing for paintings Joan finally got him to agree to let Rockwell look him over "He had to love me to do something like that" when Mahoney came up that weekend from his native Brooklyn Rockwell agreed that Mahoney would do fine and the fact that his two amateur models were really going to be married tickled his fancy The painting Rockwell had in mind was of a young couple applying for a marriage license The location was the Stockbridge Town Clerk's office Rockwell did the painting in February Joan and Mahoney were married in May and The Marriage License was the Saturday Evening Post cover for June 11 1955 It turned out to be one of the most enduring of the 323 Post covers Rockwell painted over five decades It has been reprinted countless times engraved on plates used for greeting cards and done in ceramics Now the Mahoneys have been married for 28 years They have four children and two grandchildren but Joan still slim and pretty remembers that winter day in 1955 as if it were yesterday Rockwell she says was a stickler for accuracy and detail "He said that Moe had to wear a light blue shirt and have wingtip shoes And I had to have a certain type of dress yellow and white thecks with puff sleeves "He said he'd pay for the clothes but I couldn't find a dress like that anywhere and finally I had to go to a dressmaker to have it made She charged Z25 for it and Moe and I got $25 each to It pose It was a lot of money then We were going to be married and we appreciated it" ROCKWELL HAD COME TO Stockbridge from ArlingbtonVtand his first studio in Stockbridge was on Main Street above a market He became a familiar figure in the center and just seemed to fit in wandering about and always it seemed on the lookout for people he could use in his paintings He was never regarded as a celebrity by the people of Stockbridge To them he was just another character in a New England town "Norman had a big basset hound" one native recalls "That dog was forever running away usually to the meat market for handouts Norman spent more time running after that dog" The man who posed as the town clerk in The Marriage License was Jason Braman who ran the little department store in town His daughter-in-law Anne Braman says that Rockwell picked him for a special reason Braman's wife had just died and Rockwell thought posing for a painting might snap him out of his depression "Norman said he had used people like that before that it seemed to cheer people up" Anne says "And it did After the Post cover came out Dad was just so proud People came around to see him and he'd say 'Would you like me to sign my name on your Braman died the next year Anne Braman's turn to pose came in 1956 Rockwell asked her to pose for a Post cover called Teacher's Birthday She was not a teacher She recalls that she was working either in the family store or as a receptionist as the Austen Riggs Center a renowned psychiatric hospital whose graceful buildings dominate one side of Stockbridge's Main Street just as the huge Red Lion Inn dominates the other For the past several years she has been the "flower lady" at the Red Lion decorating it with fresh flowers But to Rockwell in 1956 she was the perfect model for the schoolteacherand she says she had no trouble with the role "He asked me to wear tailored clothes but I've always worn tailored clothes so that wasn't hard He really went into details though I forget what kind of shoes I wore but he didn't like them "We were at the grammar school posing with the children and my shoes bothered him His wife Mary was there and he asked her to take of her shoes I put on her shoes and he liked them for the picture They were about three inches too big for me but he said they were fine He was such a perfectionist" She has no idea where the original painting is now A great many of Rockwell's Post covers and inside illustrations have disappeared Once he finished them they became the magazine's property "I suppose" Anne says "that some executive at the Saturday Evening Post had a daughter who was a teacher and he asked if he could have the painting So they gave it to him I often said to Norman 'Who would want it Who would want EVERYONE IT SEEMS WOULD love an original Norman Rockwell painting today if just for an investment The Old Corner Housea museum of Rockwell's works on Main Street has just purchased a painting titled Aunt Ella Takes a Trip used to illustrate a story of the same name in the April 1942 issue of the Ladies Home Journal The price was nearly $200000 Some of the people of Stockbridge seem surprised that those paintings for which they posed are considered so important today It did not seem very important when they were posing It was sort of fun and Norman well he was just Norman sort of a good old shoe who was around all the time "My aunt was his cook and my mother would help out at his house when he was holding par-Please see Artist's on Page 8 4 special report with $0VE 4 4P 1 1 I 4 1 1 4: St AVIV some 11 S' rxxo 14 4- 919 SIM4t14'11 Marty Salvadore was a 17-year-old college student when he posed for a Norman Rockwell painting about the Peace Corps for a Look magazine cover back in Al le Stop by one of our '11 convenient locations and save VAL 11 1111111 even more on brand name linens and housewares just in time for the holidays You'll be thankful! 4 A 4 4 A 4 A 4 A 40 4 40 A 4 A 4 40 44 0 A A 4 A 4 A 0 4 Print Percale Sheets Ps' -04 1 AFTEK A KNAVIING 0 td ft Hartford Courant 1966 Rockwell used many of the residents of Stockbridge Mass where the renowned painter long lived as models for his famous paintings AL 20 Piece Stoneware Sets LI 0 11 LI $50 value Set your holiday table with beautiful durable stoneware in assorted banded styles Set includes 4 each: dinner plate salad plate bowl cup and saucer Makes an impressive gift under the tree also! ao V- t- 0-4- 4 7 1 INA -4 71 1 L- 7 77- 7v'r my --t -V r- v-'7--- -7--- '-'-''''1'-' 6C 1983 FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM 1111 SUNDAY NOVEMBER 27 1983 is pose It was a lot of money then We were going to 0 still 0- A fullof familiar 0 faces Norman Rockwell's town By BILL RYAN VV77 ''lg 77777:177777 'r '1 "11 1981 Hartford Courant be married and we appreciated it "'77A '4' 7'- 'e 0 it c4eA-'! '''-41 0 'rOCKBRIDGE Mass-Wander around the ROCKWELL HAD COME TO Stockbridge tit 31': VAIn 70' 1)' center of this picture-postcard town in the from Arlinghton14 a nd his first studio in Stock- 1 i i sL -4'' "'07 4 3-44 :0 1::: southern Berkshires and you get the feeling you bridge was on Main Street above a market He are among old friends- became a familiar figure in the center and just i ii iV--Zr-fr V11 '''''--'N f- 410 Iss i tt 4 4 i' if 4 ilk Faces here and there have a certain familiarity seemed to fit in wandering about and always it l'' AMY SOrtt -4 that of onetime acquaintances you knew and seemed on the lookout for people he could use in it if his paintings hked and remember fondly But you have trou- ri Mf 11 9 pr i blerecallingexactly whereand how you last met He was never regarded as a celebrity by the k4'4- rt llil -(14wt I Then you remember This is Norman people of Stockbridge To them he was just an It goir PIO ft C4114t ''''''4's Rockwell 's town other character in a New England town "Nor- t-I ee 4 0i For the last 25 years of his life from 1953 to man had a big basset hound" one native recalls -0- 4 v-iri 41-viii twr i fl tV bA: 4i '61 1978 America's most beloved magazine illustra- That dog uas forever running away usually to -) A tor and a master storyteller in oils lived and the meat market for handouts Norman spent IP worked here And the facesyou see the woman more time running after that dog" 4- ft e-4441 decorating the Red Lion Inn with fresh flowers The man who posed as the town clerk in The 1 6 it-- i :) the fellow behind the desk at the insurance agen- Marriage License was Jason Braman who ran 4 sit -7 1r: '1' cy the elderly man walking down the street the little department store in town His daughter- l' '14'110' i 144 1 4 i V' 11 4 these are "Rockwell's people" the hometown in-law Anne Braman says that Rockwell picked k'' folks he used as models for magazine illustra- him for a special reason Braman's wife had just 0 i f29 10 tions most notably for the Saturday Evening died and Rockwell thought posing for a painting -41-47 1 '1 Post and Look might snap him out of his depression -0r 1 original Saturday Evening ening Post is gone "Norman said he had used people like that 411" Nr-t-r-A now as is the original Look And Rockwell died in before that it seemed to cheer people up" Anne A i tN or 1978 says "And it did After the Post cover came out or 4 I i 4 A) The ll t) But his people remain dozens of them They Dad was just so prolid People came around to see -7 are older but still there living legacies of the him and he'd say 'Would you like me to sign my 44 iilt painter And each has special memories of him name on your Braman died the next year -s tif JOAN MAHONErS FIRST MEMORY goes Anne Braman's turn to pose came in 1956 tit ei44' ''44)) back to early in 19'55 Her name was-loan Lahart Rockwell asked her to pose fora Post covercalled 4 ''s "xec: then and in January of that year all that con- Teacher 's Birthday '''i 0 cerned her washer upcoming marriage in May to She NUS not a teacher She recalls that she was 4 4'k 4 1dcr 4' 9 'AI: pe: l'fAV Francis (Moe) Mahoney working either in the family store or as a recep- to ir '''At t-- 0'- One day though her older sister Peggy came tionist as the Austen Riggs Center a renowned ii2 to her with an unusual request psychiatric hospital whose graceful buildings Hartford Courant Peggy had been asked to pose for a picture and dominate one side of Stockbridge's Main Street Marty Salvadore was a 17-year-old college student 1966 Rockwell used many of the residents of Stock-she did not want to do it Would Joan do it just as the huge Red Lion Inn dominates the particularly since the picture was going to be of a other For the past several years she has been the when he posed for a Norman Rockwell painting about bridge Mass where the renowned painter long lived prospective bride and Joan was going to be mar- --flower lady" at the Red Lion decorating it with the Peace Corps for a Look magazine cover back in as mOdels for his famous paintings ried shortly? The man who wanted her to pose fresh flowers Peggy said was Norman Rockwell But to Rockwell in 1956 she was the perfect "Who is he?" Joan asked model for the schoolteacherand she says she had "He's a painter" Peggy said no trouble with the role Joan agreed to pose and managed to get her "He asked me to wear tailored clothes but I've AFTEK fiance to participate The 6-foot 5-inch Mahoney always worn tailored clothes so that wasn't hard had gone to BrOW11 University on an athletic He really went into details though I forget what scholarship He was a former Boston Celtics has- kind of shoes I wore but he didn't like them illAll KSGIIVIING(3 ME ketball player whose career had been halted by "We were at the grammar school posing with the Korean conflict and he was not much for the children and my shoes bothered him His posing for paintings wife Mary was there and he asked her to take off Joan finally got him to agree to let Rockwell her shoes I put on her shoes and he liked them for look him over "He had to love me to do some the picture They were about three inches too big Stop by one of our if convenient locations and save thing like that" when Mahoney came up that for me but he said they were fine He was such a even more on brand name linens and housewares weekend from his native Brooklyn Rockwell perfectionist" agreed that Mahoney would do fine and the fact She has no idea where the original painting is just in time for the holidays You'll be thankful! that his two amateur models were really going to now A great many of Rockwell's Post covers and be married tickled his fancy 44'-------------------4---- inside illustrations have disappeared Once he The painting Rockwell had in mind was of a finished them they became the magazine's prop- young couple applying for a marriage license erty The location was the Stockbridge Town Clerk's "I suppose" Anne some executive at -i: -441-iiu 'ixk'' 7- 4 'o' 7i 464 office the Saturday Evening Post had a daughter who 711'14 47 --1 Rockwell did the painting in February Joan was a teacher and he asked if he could have the 4 tv "i 7'rfj4S14iiit4ii I 'i- 6 and Mahoney were married in May and The painting So they gave it to him I often said to 1 vr 4- t1Z1 Marriage License was the Saturday Evening Norman Who would want it Who would want -V '45r' 'C i HI Post cover for June 11 1955 04 T- :4 t7- '4- -e 1 toq 4 It turned out to be one of the most enduring of 4irootic- li -'4 1 1- the 323 Post covers Rockwell painted over five EVERYONE IT SEEMS 1VOULD love an I -1'" fc iee decades It has been reprinted countless times original Norman Rockwell painting today if just 44--e' s''' --i engraved on plates used for greeting cards and for an investment The Old Corner House amuse- --rt -teko- I '4--- j- 0' done in ceramics um of Rockwell's works on Main Street has just ---it-e ''r szs -1 4 ti -1 V- 8 4 Nosv the Mahone purchased a painting titled Aunt Ella Takes a ys have been married for 28 ttrii They i7! ls1001 14)' 14 years ey have four children and two grand- Trip used to illustrate a story of the same name -4-- I Fil i- -4 children but Joan still slim and pretty remem- in the April 19-12 issue of the Ladies Home Jour- 7'! i 1 4 4-1i-PF1k A' Ot AA hers that winter day in 19'55 as if it were yester- nal The price was nearly $200000 1 lf---eS1 '11''44' "t-7-- day Some of the people of Stockbridge seem Rockwell she says was a stickler for accuracy surprised that those paintings for which they Print Percale Sheets 20 Piece Stoneware Sets and detail "He said that Moe had to wear a light posed are considered so important today It did blue shirt and have wingtip shoes And I had to not seem very important when they were posing have a certain type of dress yellow and white It was sort of fun and Norman well he was just checks with puff sleeves Norman sort of a good old shoe who was around 2 0 0 td 0 0 0 "He said he'd pay for the clothes but I couldn't all the time find a dress like that anywhere and finally I had "My aunt was his cook and my mother would a $50 value to go to a dressmaker to have it made She help out at his house when he was holding par- Set your holiday table with beautiful durable charged 5 for it and Moe and I got '25 each to Please see Artist's on Page 8 stoneware in assorted banded styles Set includes 4 each: dinner plate salad plate bowl cup and saucer Makes an impressive gift under the tree also! 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