‘If Your Eyesight Controls Your ‘Great Decisions…” 1929

Norman Rockwell made this painting called ‘If Your Eyesight Controls Your ‘Great Decisions…’ probably with oils, and it looks like he knew what he was doing. It’s a scene of two guys playing cards, right? Look at the way the light catches the vest of the guy on the left, that creamy off-white. Rockwell layers the paint so it almost feels like you could touch it. And then check out how thin the paint is in the background, a total contrast. That brown is just stained in, crazy. But here’s the thing, Rockwell's always about telling a story. In the detail of the eyes, the slight grin on the face of one of the players, and the cards held in his hands, there is an entire narrative being told. Like Winslow Homer, Rockwell gives us just enough information to fill in the gaps ourselves. It’s not just about the painting, it's about what it makes you think about. It’s an invitation, not a conclusion.