1955 Norman Rockwell and the Outrigger Canoe Club
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1955 Norman Rockwell Painting
In 1955 Pam American Airways commissioned Norman Rockwell to illustrate a series of ads capturing the beauty and allure of the many fabulous and exotic places travelers could reach in ease and comfort along its round-the-world air route which included Hawaii. Rockwell and a photographer visited the Outrigger Canoe Club in October 1955 to begin his research.
1955 Norman Rockwell Painting
Rockwell used an Outrigger Canoe Club koa canoe, the Moi Lii and beachboy Steamboat Mokuahi for his photos. He placed Steamboat in each of the six seats of the canoe and took a photograph.
1955 Norman Rockwell Painting
Steamboat in seat two.
1955 Norman Rockwell Painting
Rockwell posed a woman tourist in seat four.
1955 Norman Rockwell Painting
A male tourist was posed in seat five.
1955 Norman Rockwell Painting
Steamboat posed in seat six where the steersman sits. When Rockwell got home he created his drawing which appeared in the spring of 1956 in the Saturday Evening Post, Life and Holiday magazines. A copy of the painting is on display at the Outrigger Canoe Club.
1955 Norman Rockwell Painting
Rockwell had some fun on a surfboard after the canoe pictures were taken.