Norman Rockwell Sunday Morning, Style Imitating Art

“Sunday Morning” by Norman Rockwell | Style Imitating Art

January 31, 2022 / 20 Comments

I am so excited to present my first artwork as a co-host for Style Imitating Art with Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey and Terri of MeadowTree Style! If you have been following me, then you probably know that I have been an avid participant in these challenges for the past year. In fact, the very first one that I joined was on January 13, 2021, for Gumball II by Charles Bell. I had so much fun with that first one that I never missed another challenge for the next 12 months.

So when Salazar and Terri were looking for a new co-host, I was quick to volunteer for the job and super excited to be asked to join as the newest co-host. This series has brought me so much joy over the past year and has inspired me to view my wardrobe even more creatively than I already had. It has pulled me from my winter funk and forced me to get dressed when pandemic fatigue was at its worst. It has also inspired me to learn more about art and art history as well as introduce me to new art from ancient to classic to modern and contemporary. Through my participation in this collaborative series, I am hoping that I can share the benefits of being creative in whatever ways bring you joy!

While it may seem like a major task to join these challenges for an entire year, did you know that Salazar has been hosting this series for over 10 years?! An entire decade of cool and interesting art and fabulously unique and creative outfits inspired by it. I am so grateful that our paths have crossed in this world of blogging and that I am able to be a small part of one of Salazar’s artistic legacies!

About Style Imitating Art

Style Imitating Art is hosted by Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey, Terri of Meadow Tree Style, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Style Imitating Art challenges us to draw style inspiration from pieces of art. Every other Monday, one of the hosts, acting as presenter, selects an inspiration image that they will each post on their blogs. The following Monday, each host shares her art inspired outfit. Participants are invited to submit their art inspired outfits to the presenter by 10:00 p.m. EST on the Tuesday following the hosts’ art inspired outfit posts. The following day, Wednesday, the presenter will share all of the submissions on her blog.

You don’t have to be a blogger to join either! In fact, you don’t even have to join but you can still use the art to inspire an outfit just for the sake of trying something different. If you want to share your inspired outfit, we invite you do so on Instagram or any other social media platform that you prefer. Just be sure to tag Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee or use #TeamLOTSStyle and #StyleImitatingArt so the hosts know you have joined. Go have some fun in your closets and join the SIA challenge next week!

This Week’s Presenter

That would be me! For my very first pick!

The Artwork
Sunday Morning by Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell Sunday Morning
Image Source
A Little About the Art & Why I Chose It

Norman Rockwell was an American painter and illustrator who is most widely known for his cover illustrations for the Saturday Evening Post. For nearly five decades, he brought to life the every day living of regular American people and became iconic for his accurate depictions of contemporary American culture.

His illustration “Sunday Morning” appeared on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post on May 16, 1959, and is one of his more popular and recognizable illustrations. It depicts a mother, her two daughters, and son dressed in their Sunday best heading off to church while the father lounges in his pajamas, cigarette in hand, reading his Sunday newspaper.

Image Source

I chose this particular illustration for my first pick because it holds a lot of sentimental value to me. We had a framed print of “Sunday Morning” that was central to our kitchen decor in my childhood home. I do not remember if it was a gift to my parents or if it was something they chose on their own, but in true Norman Rockwell fashion, this illustration very accurately depicted a typical Sunday morning in the home of a typical middle class American family…my family actually. And while there were three daughters and one son being marched off to church in our finest apparel, the uncanny resemblance of the father to my own father was an ongoing joke around this illustration.

My father…very likely on a Sunday morning watching the rest of us march off to church. He has the cigarette in hand and the newspaper on the chair beside him similar to the father in the illustration, but my dad wasn’t much of a pajama guy. If he was indoors, he was generally in his undershorts. More like Murray Goldberg than the Rockwellian father figure.

I looked for old photos of a church Sunday with all of my siblings and mother but couldn’t find any, but I will share a few that illustrate how my mom dressed me for church.

This is actually at church with my maternal grandmother. I styled the shawl that Grammy is wearing when The Magnificent 8 styled heirlooms.
These are the costumes my mother made for us for America’s bicentennial celebration on July 4, 1976. I am the youngest, aged 2, in this photo. I am sure my mother made us wear these dresses to church! My brother was born in 1982 which is why there are just the three of us girls.
This was my favorite Sunday dress when I was 5. I am accessorized in all Mickey Mouse jewelry. I was obsessed with Mickey Mouse because my childhood nickname is Micki.

Another reason that I chose this illustration to present this week is that January 22 marked the 27th anniversary of my father’s death. I am at the point in my life where I have lived many more years without my father than I had years with him. I processed my grief long ago and even married my husband on January 23 in an effort to cheer my January mood. Perspective, gratitude, and time have more healing power than we tend to have patience for, but I can tell you that things do get brighter if you trust the process and have a bit of patience.

So there is your art inspiration for this week with my sentimental back story to go with it. Step inside your closets and listen to your creative muse as you get styling. Apparently my father’s spirit likes to play games in my closet, so perhaps he will be my muse all the way through this style challenge.

I really like that there are lots of actual fashion ideas in the illustration from the father’s pajamas to the mother’s and children’s church outfits. The illustration also has a variety of different colors and patterns that could be incorporated into an outfit. Or you could simply style what you would wear on a Sunday morning to church or otherwise. Let the art and style muses guide you!

If you want to be featured with your art inspired outfit in my gallery post on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, be sure to submit your photos to me at shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com by 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, February 8, 2022.

Happy creative styling!

Keeping it artsy on the edge,

Shelbee

Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.

I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.

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20 Comments

  • Suzy Turner

    January 31, 2022 at 12:01 pm Reply

    What wonderful inspiration, Shelbee! I love that you shared that photo of your dad and you and yours sisters as youngsters. I must say, I wouldn’t have recognised you lol! While the artwork isn’t exactly my cup of tea, I think it will work brilliantly for SIA. I’m excited to see how everyone interprets this theme!
    Big hugs
    Suzy xx

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      January 31, 2022 at 12:50 pm Reply

      Thank you so much, Suzy! I have been giggling at this illustration all week as I have it saved as my phone and laptop wallpaper. It really brings me so much joy! I don’t think this art style would fit my home decor at this point in my life, but maybe this particular one for sentimental reasons. I think I have most of my outfit planned. I just need to work out some details! I am looking forward to all the interpretations as well. There are a lot of interesting components to draw inspiration from. Happy styling, my friend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Marsha Banks

    February 1, 2022 at 3:50 am Reply

    Oh, Shelbee, isn’t this one of the purposes of art…to connect us to ourselves in some way? I love your story and how it connects to today’s post. Neither of my parents went to church, but we marched off to church every Sunday with our cousins. And, my dad would definitely be at home smoking a Camel and reading the Sunday paper, but with work pants on. I don’t think Dad had pajamas until he was sick.

    I’m going to have to do some real thinking on this one! I love this painting…but, gosh there’s a lot to unpack!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      February 1, 2022 at 10:14 am Reply

      Thanks so much, Marsha! That is absolutely the purpose of art and yet another reason that I love this SIA series so very much! I don’t think my father ever owned pajamas either! And he smoked Kool Filter Kings-soft pack! Hahaha I remember him sending me to the corner store to buy his smokes for him when I was too little to even see over the countertop in the store. I would hand a note to the cashier from my dad saying it was okay to sell me the cigarettes for him and they would sell them to me. That makes me laugh so hard because that would never happen today! I am still working on my outfit for this but I think I have most of it figured it out. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Carol

    February 1, 2022 at 2:26 pm Reply

    I’m old enough to remember receiving the Saturday Evening Post in our home each week during my childhood. I always loved the Norman Rockwell covers. He perfectly captured American culture of the time with a keen eye for the humor in each scene. Thanks for sharing your family photos. You had a sense of style, even at age 5.
    Carol
    http://www.scribblingboomer.com

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      February 2, 2022 at 10:47 am Reply

      Thanks so much, Carol! I had to go read more about the Saturday Evening Post publications because we definitely did not receive it at our home when I was young. I do remember my mom had subscriptions to Guideposts and Reader’s Digest and I enjoyed bits and parts of both of those as a child. Anyway, back the Saturday Evening Post…I had no idea that it was still in publication. They stopped their weekly publications in the 1969 and now they only publish 6 times a year. But it has been in almost continuous publication since 1897 with a break from 1969-1971 when it was revived as a quarterly publication. I hope you have a wonderful day, my friend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Lisa notes

    February 3, 2022 at 1:11 pm Reply

    I remember my dad growing a beard for the July 4, 1976 bicentennial celebration. 🙂 Our little town had a big celebration. I love the artwork you chose for this week and the memories you attached. So fun!

  • Mike

    February 4, 2022 at 2:56 am Reply

    Hey Shelbee! I wanted to congratulate you on your promotion to SIA Host! I know that you will be a great addition to Salazar and Terri’s team as you have a passionate heart for art and style, which are two key elements one must have for SIA!
    There have been quite a few hosts over the years, Salazar being the last remaining founding member, as you noted in your post; you will honor the team well with your creativity and passion. 🙂

    And what a wonderful backstory for this painting! I think it’s great that you have such fond memories of it as it reminds you of your dad and you honoring his memory by hosting it as your first SIA challenge!
    Looking at this painting brings back memories of my own of the days when my family and I would all be prepping ourselves for church on Sundays. I’ve longed since stepped away from that for reasons of my own, but it still brings happy memories to my mind looking at it. 🙂 A great choice! I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with!

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      February 4, 2022 at 11:28 am Reply

      Aw, Mike, thank you so much for such a lovely welcome as the new SIA host. I am so excited to join Salazar and Terri because I am so fond of art and inspiration and creativity! Like music, art effects people in so many different ways, and I am enjoying being a part of something that brings more art into the spotlight. I also am launching a new series called Songful Style which is similar to SIA except we are drawing our outfit inspiration from a chosen song each month. You can use the music, the lyrics, the video, the album artwork, or any other thing that inspires you related to the song. I am super excited to see the SIA outfits for my first artwork! Have a fabulous weekend, my friend.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

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Shelbee on the Edge