Perrysburg photographer Kelleigh Bossa has created a powerful 17-piece art collection called "Not A Rockwell" that reimagines Norman Rockwell's iconic paintings with contemporary messages about social justice. The series features LGBTQ, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color models positioned in recognizable Rockwell compositions, directly challenging current political rhetoric and dehumanizing attitudes toward marginalized communities.
Bossa, who describes herself as an "artistic housewife" who recently discovered art beyond photography, developed the project as a response to her own experiences with religious abuse and being silenced as a child. Her recent artwork represents her journey to find her voice and use creative expression to fight injustice while providing a platform for others who have been marginalized. The "Not A Rockwell" series specifically targets the demographic that typically appreciates Rockwell's traditional American imagery but may hold prejudices against the communities Bossa champions.
The ambitious project grew from a single idea to 17 pieces in just six weeks, with Bossa creating 14 works and art colleague Susan Dunn contributing three additional pieces. The collaboration began when Bossa shared her concept with Alan Dow, a transgender non-binary individual who owns the House of Dow in Toledo. Dow enthusiastically supported the project, agreed to participate as a model, and provided full access to his store's vintage collections to authentically style the participants. His suggestions for additional models and venues helped expand the project's scope significantly.
"The entire cast is LGBTQ or BIPOC, which is not what you generally see in Rockwell's art," Bossa explained. "Each individual put their heart and soul into the project, and they were powerful in their own way." One of the most compelling transformations features Bobbie, a transgender woman whom Bossa first noticed hiding in a corner at an event. Bossa approached her because, as she puts it, "I am NOT the person that lets anyone hide in the corner if it looks like they don't want to be there." Bobbie ultimately became the face of "Bobbie the Baddie," a reimagining of Rockwell's famous "Rosie the Riveter."
The "Bobbie the Baddie" piece particularly demonstrates Bossa's approach to social commentary. She deliberately left the original 1943 date on the artwork, maintaining the reference to atrocities in Germany during World War II. However, her version addresses "American atrocities of today," replacing references to concentration camps with "Alligator Alcatraz," highlighting what she sees as contemporary parallels. "It's so similar, it's terrifying," Bossa noted about the connections between past and present injustices.
Other models brought equally powerful stories to the project. One participant, a gay man, described his childhood "as a puppy being held down by the throat for 18 years," illustrating the long-term impact of societal rejection and family disapproval. These personal narratives became integral to Bossa's artistic vision, with each story receiving the "Rockwell treatment" in her "Not A Rockwell" collection, creating a stark contrast between the idealized American imagery and the harsh realities faced by marginalized individuals.
Bossa's primary motivation extends beyond simply giving marginalized people a platform to feel confident and authentic, though she considers that aspect deeply meaningful. Her larger goal targets the specific demographic that typically resonates with Rockwell's work – people who, according to Bossa, often follow rhetoric suggesting that LGBTQ and BIPOC individuals "don't matter, that their lives don't have value, and they shouldn't be included, or be celebrated, or even be here." She wants to create at least one moment that will humanize people who are different from this traditional demographic.
Since promoting the Thursday night exhibition, Bossa has witnessed her strategy working exactly as intended. Viewers initially respond positively to the artwork, thinking fondly of Rockwell's familiar imagery. However, when they look closer and realize the subjects are from marginalized communities, their expressions change. "That's the point I live for – that one connection point," Bossa said. "They don't have to change their mind or be a different person after they see it, but they got that one second of thought where they loved that image and celebrated it and emotionally connected to it until they realized it wasn't somebody like them."
The technical process behind the collection involves multiple artistic disciplines that Bossa has been developing. She photographs individuals who identify as LGBTQ or BIPOC, then uses Photoshop to place them into Rockwell backgrounds, reworking scenes to make them fit seamlessly. After completing the digital composition, she has the photograph printed on canvas, then paints directly on the printed surface to achieve the authentic Rockwell aesthetic. "It was really cool to incorporate so many aspects of art that I've been playing and practicing with and to put it all into one piece," she explained.
The project took on a life of its own, with Bossa recognizing early in the process that it had grown beyond her personal artistic vision. "A week into the process, I realized that this has nothing to do with me anymore. I'm just a conduit," she reflected. "I had a cool idea, and I'll own that, but this project is destined to be in the world, right now." This realization reinforced her belief that art serves as a critical tool for fighting social injustice and humanizing marginalized people, particularly when it reinterprets iconic American imagery.
Bossa views her artistic approach as a uniquely effective strategy for challenging ingrained prejudices, specifically because she's targeting the demographic that cherishes traditional American art. By using familiar, beloved imagery as a vehicle for contemporary social commentary, she believes she can reach people who might otherwise dismiss messages about inclusion and social justice. Her method creates an emotional connection before revealing the political message, potentially opening minds that remain closed to more direct approaches.
The "Not A Rockwell" series will be exhibited alongside two other collections from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, August 28, at Wick-ed Palette Studio, located at 151 N. Michigan Ave., Unit 227-228, Toledo. The exhibition represents more than just an art show for Bossa – it's a culmination of her personal journey from silence to advocacy, and a platform for marginalized voices in a political climate she sees as increasingly hostile to their existence.
Bossa believes every individual has a moral obligation to use whatever tools they possess to stand up against hate and dehumanization. For her, those tools aren't weapons in the traditional sense. "It's not going to be on me, because I'm going to fight with everything I have, which is not a gun, and it's not a knife," she declared. "It's a paintbrush and a camera, but it's what I have and what I can fight with." Through her art, she's found a way to honor the experiences of marginalized individuals while challenging the assumptions of those who might otherwise overlook their humanity.
