Boy and Girl gazing at the Moon 1926

Norman Rockwell made this painting of a Boy and Girl gazing at the Moon with what seems to be watercolour, you can almost feel the artist finding his way through the image, searching for the essence of that quiet moment. The colours are muted, almost like a memory, and the surface has this beautiful, soft texture, especially in the way he layers the paint in the children's clothes. Look at the way the light catches the boy's hair, how each strand seems to be individually rendered. The artist's hand is so present, it's like you can see him making each mark, each decision. And the way he's captured the dog's soulful eyes! The whole thing has this lovely, melancholic feel. Rockwell, like Edward Hopper, invites us to contemplate the ordinary moments that shape our lives.