[pepsi_junkie]

Parrish may be the only one to have transitioned from commercial art to "serious" art in his own lifetime, but I think as time goes by some others are gaining the stature they deserve. One example, a personal favorite of mine, is Norman Rockwell. Though he is never mentioned when we discuss the great artists of the 20th century who better captured his era on canvas? It wasnt all corny stuff either. For instance, I think Girl At The Mirror tells a whole coming of age story quite effectively in a simple scene.

And now we see Rockwell hung in the Guggenheim. How about them apples?

[walden]

Rockwell is an underrated modern American master-- although I agree, appreciation for him is building.

[weegee]

Arthur Sarnoff, Norman Rockwell, and NC Wyeth all associated together. Wyeth is taken to be the "highest" artist of the bunch, some critics find Rockwell to be sappy and too commercial. Sarnoff worked everything from pulps and pinups to the Saturday Evening Post, to portraits (including one of JFK), to dog playing poker!

There are some real good books on illustration art of the late 19th century through the 20th century.