Norman Rockwell exhibition opens this week

It turns out that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have more in common than heaps of directing accolades; both have a significant number of works by artist Norman Rockwell. Lucky for us, the pair have decided to share their collections with the public, exhibiting more than 50 pieces at the American Art Museum starting Friday. Among the works, get a look at the iconic "Shadow Artist," depicting a man entertaining a trio of children using only a lamp, a blank wall and his hands in the shape of a dog. "Pardon Me" captures a boy's failed attempt at dancing (made obvious by a girl in a party dress holding her trampled foot), while an appropriately cinematic painting reveals a winsome starlet amid a huddle of reporters. The museum is expecting the exhibit to draw large crowds, so it wouldn't hurt to bring along some form of entertainment ("Star Wars" on your iPod, perhaps?) in case of long lines.

-- Stephanie Merry