Excuse Me! 1917

Norman Rockwell's painting, Excuse Me!, is a dance of awkwardness painted with oils and gentle storytelling. Rockwell lays down the paint with a delicate hand, layering colors and textures to create a sense of depth and realism; look at the nervous man on the left. He's all angles and worried textures. He’s clutching a hat, and his hand looks as fragile as an eggshell. The man's interruption of the couple takes centre stage. But the woman's dress, oh, it’s a marvel! Each ripple of ruffled pink is almost edible. It is here that you can see the energy of the artist, as the paint almost vibrates with life. It reminds me of Edward Hopper. Both Rockwell and Hopper find something lonely about people, though there are no lonely diners here. The way the story unfolds is as much about what is painted as what isn't. Like a good joke, the meaning is in the setup.