Good Friends 1927

Norman Rockwell made this charming scene of a boy and his dogs in 1927 using oil on canvas. I can imagine Rockwell being a sweet guy, thinking about the golden years of childhood. The way the light gently illuminates the figures makes me think he was a gentle soul. It looks like he's really digging into the details of their fur and their little puppy faces. The paint is applied so smoothly, not a lot of texture, but you can see how each brushstroke contributes to the overall form. And look at the shadow under the dogs, such an important detail! It's so different from abstract painting where we let go of the real world and see what else is possible! This painting makes me think about the way artists like Rockwell captured the spirit of their time. They all are in conversation, inspiring one another's creativity. It reminds us that painting can be a form of embodied expression, capturing a moment and feeling with great skill.