Boy Scout Artwork by Joseph Csatari
Joseph Csatari joined the staff of the BSA National Council in 1953 as a layout artist in the Supply Division's advertising department.
By 1960's, he was art director, designing advertising and sales promotional pieces, cover illustrations, and posters.
In 1973, he was named art director of Boys' Life magazine. Also, during this time he had begun working closely with Norman Rockwell as the famed
illustrator created his annual Boy Scout calendar painting. Csatari's job was to come up with possible themes for the paintings and make rough sketches
for Rockwell. Once Rockwell decided on a concept, Csatari would gather models and shuttle them up for a photo shoot in the artist's studio in
Stockbridge, Mass. During the time Rockwell was working on his last two BSA paintings, Csatari often traveled to Stockbridge to assist the aging
artist. "He'd let me paint the boots or some other minor part of the painting," Csatari says. "That was the thrill of my life-even though I know he
went back over what I had done." In 1976 when Rockwell retired from the calendar commission, the BSA asked Csatari to continue in the Rockwell
tradition.
"My work may be reminiscent of the Rockwell style, Csatari says, “but I’m no Rockwell. Norman was in another league. He was a great storyteller and
humorist, a kind of pictorial Mark Twain Since the 1977 BSA calendar, Csatari has made 24 paintings for the Boy Scouts of America, including a
painting commemorating the endowment Program’ 1910 Society.
In 1997 an exhibit of these paintings toured the Trooped States at fund-raising events in local Councils throughout the Country. Though it’ not well
known, Csatari also painted more than 10 official portraits of BSA presidents and Chief Scout Executives during his career. But it’s his paintings of
“Boy Scouts being Boy Scouts, having fun in the outdoors, and doing community Service Projects” that he found the most rewarding.
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| 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
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| 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1985 |
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| 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
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| 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1994 | 1994 |
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| 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 2000 | 2000 |
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| 2001 | 2002 |