Who gets the money?

Every so often at the Center we field questions pertaining to the copyright, royalties and fees from American Gothic. This probably would not be of interest if the painting was obscure or only known within tight art circles. But since American Gothic is recognized and known far outside the art set, it is conceivable many would inquire as to who gets what from the reproduction (whether in parody form or original) from the original work.

In the past, when such a questions has been asked, we have responded that the copyright to American Gothic is held by the Figge Museum of Art (formerly Davenport Museum of Art) in Davenport, Iowa. And for the most part this is correct. However, a recently discovered blog prompted us to dig a bit deeper as to where royalties from American Gothic end up.

The blog—http://insroland.org/americangothic—made the claim that “every licensing fee for reproduction of her brother's masterpiece has been split between the Union Rescue Mission and the Riverside County Coalition for Alternatives to Domestic Violence,” both located in the area of Los Angeles, Calif. where Nan Wood Graham lived in her later years.

We did not doubt Nan named these organizations in her will and they did receive some benefits from American Gothic, it was the claim that “every licensing fee” was split between the two, implying these were the only recipients of any proceeds of the painting. In order to verify—or refute—this information a little detective work was in order.

Donning my rumpled Columbo overcoat and with a tip of my fedora I did what every capable modern-day sleuth does: write an email. The recipient was Robert Panzer, executive director of the Visual Arts and Galleries Association (VAGA), the organization that takes care of questions of copyright, licensing fees and the like under the umbrella of “art.” I sent him the blog in question and asked if he would shed some light on the subject. As suspected, he replied the blog was a bit misleading.

Mr. Panzer explained all copyrights to American Gothic are indeed held by the Figge Museum, however, there are other rights germane to Nan Wood Graham that are bit less cut and dried. An excerpt of his letter is as follows:

        "American Gothic is protected by two rights: Copyright and Right of Publicity.  Rights of Publicity are something like privacy rights, which individuals have  when it comes to the commercial use of their names, voices and likenesses… As I’m sure you know, Nan Wood Graham is portrayed in American Gothic and hence, if you want to reproduce AG in a commercial manner (such as on merchandise and in advertising) you would need to clear NWG’s rights of publicity.  Since Nan did not specifically mention rights of publicity in her will, these rights went to various beneficiaries named in her will that received the residuary of the will.  Residuary means anything that Nan owned that wasn’t detailed in the will.  There were a number of beneficiaries, with the Union Rescue Mission and the Riverside County Coalition for Alternatives to Domestic Violence being just two of them.  All the beneficiaries have hired VAGA to act as their licensing agent for clearing rights to AG for commercial uses.  Fees we collect for non-commercial uses of AG go to the Figge."

In case you are wondering a “non-commercial” use is think school textbooks as an example. Anyway, as can be seen, the rights to American Gothic are not exactly black and white.  As with anything that is born from the mind and reproduced, the monetary rights can be bit fuzzy. And with the passing of years it gets even fuzzier. It is reassuring, however, that proceeds from American Gothic, at least in part, go to a good cause.

In this same vein, Nan Wood Graham has taken numerous publications to task as to their depiction of American Gothic. To read a little about this, visit these links:
People Magazine
Hustler Article

Upcoming events at the American Gothic House Center:

Feb. 9 Grant Wood Birthday Soup Smorgasbord

The Center will be closed Tuesday, Jan 1 for New Year’s Day.

Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
American Gothic House Center
641-652-3352
wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com


The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to match the Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant and will become endowment funds to support the Center's annual operations. As a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, you have already shown support for the American Gothic House Center. I invite you to strengthen your role in the valuable experience we provide the community by making a contribution to our fund drive. Click here to give your tax deductible gift, or head to our website for more information. Thank you to all who have donated so far!

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

300 American Gothic St | Eldon, IA 52554 | 641-652-3352 | theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Longing for a perfect world

If wrinkles must be written upon our brows, let them not be written upon the heart. The spirit should not grow old.
        -  President James A. Garfield
Normally, I prefer to reserve this place for something rather light, nothing serious or contentious as this world is already filled with too much of that. Today, however, the grievous event from last Friday prevents me from doing this. It is impossible to ignore.
In the aftermath of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., the above quote from James Garfield kept popping into my mind. I ran across it some time back and it struck me as words to live by, reminding me that life is good. Regardless what troubling situations come my way, no matter how disconcerting, it should not be allowed to damper the spirit. Although my mind may be troubled, my heart should remain constant and my spirit should remain young and soar on the wings of life. After last Friday, it has been much more difficult to believe this.
In life there are some things that are invariably written on the heart—good things—a kind word or gesture, the love of spouse or companion, or a magnificent sunrise that fills the soul with all the beauty and possibility of a new day. For a parent, the heart is forever stamped when holding a new-born son or daughter, and gazing for the first time into the wonder of life; touching the tiny fingers and toes, telling her for the first time how she is loved—only minutes old—while holding close the sweet pink bundle of life.
As time and years progress the handwriting on the heart continues. An “I love you, Mommy” spoken through tears and a trembling lip after a hug and a bandage following a sidewalk mishap. The pride of writing his name for the first time, of being able to read Green Eggs and Ham and asking you to make to make it for supper. The loss of a tooth and the magical appearance of a quarter beneath the pillow the next morning. “Did the tooth fairy really leave this, Daddy?” Words that long for answers to the wonders of the life that is unfolding before his eyes, every minute of every day. Words that were undoubtedly spoken by the 20 first-graders in Newtown.
Of course the early years can be thought of as the most precious, when life is new and exciting—for everyone—and before the teen years arrive, where life, at times, is trying but not without its moments. Unfortunately, the parents of the 20 first graders at Sandy Hook Elementary will never experience comforting that child as a sobbing teenage daughter suffering her first break-up (“it will be alright, honey”), or putting an arm around the shoulders of the son who just won the 100-meter dash, squeezing hard and saying “Good job, son.” A bullet ended this dream, not an accident, not a random act of nature, but an intentional act of violence that dashed hopes and dreams that will never be realized. An act so heinous, so disturbing, so inconceivable, that it can never be understood or accepted, and for ever—and ever—written on the heart.
As of last Friday, the spirit of parents, and grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and strangers like me grew older. The handwriting on the heart caused by the actions of a lone gunman is too heavy, too burdensome, to carry without affect. It is not the way it should be. In a perfect world a parent should never have to bury a child. But we live far from a perfect world. How unfortunate.

Endowment Fund Raffle
There is one matter of American Gothic House Center business that needs to be addressed today and that is the announcement of the raffle for the American Gothic House Center Endowment Fund.
As many of you know, the Center has been in the process of establishing an endowment fund through the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation in the hopes someday fully funding the center to make it self-sufficient. This, of course, is years down the road, but every journey must start somewhere.
Recently, the endowment fund has been approved and the Center, as an initial act of raising money for the fund, has a print of the American Gothic House framed with original porch boards salvaged from the renovation from last summer. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5 with the drawing held on Feb. 9 during the Grant Wood Birthday Soup Smorgasbord at KD Center in Eldon, Iowa. Click here to view the print and to purchase tickets.

Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
American Gothic House Center
641-652-3352
                                        wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com


The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to match the Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant and will become endowment funds to support the Center's annual operations. As a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, you have already shown support for the American Gothic House Center. I invite you to strengthen your role in the valuable experience we provide the community by making a contribution to our fund drive. Click here to give your tax deductible gift, or head to our website for more information. Thank you to all who have donated so far!

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

300 American Gothic St | Eldon, IA 52554 | 641-652-3352 | theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Hansel and Gretel never had it so good

Take away the spineless woodcarver, the nasty stepmother and the wicked witch, last Saturday the American Gothic House Center was a place where Hansel and Gretel would have been comfortable—and without the threat of being abandoned and eaten.

Not exactly lost in the woods, children from all over flocked to the Center to build their own Gingerbread House without fear of being shoved into a cage to fatten or thrown into an oven. Arguably the best way to build a gingerbread house.

For the whole of the afternoon children, along with their parents (who showed no signs of leaving them to fend for themselves as the father in the fairy tale did) streamed through the front doors and were met by a line of volunteers ready to dole out the building materials: graham crackers, a plethora of candy including gum drops, mints, life savers, chocolate chips, red hots, M&Ms, pretzels, marshmallows, and, of course, plenty of frosting.

A word needs to be said here about the frosting. Anyone who has had the pleasure of decorating a cake or cookies with small children knows that frosting can be problematic. Instead of being applied to the given confection in a neat and orderly fashion, many times the frosting gets sidetracked to a head of hair, stuck in an ear (especially of there is a brother and sister involved) or fed to the dog. In short, any spot but the intended one. Not so at the Center on Saturday. Instead, each child was issued a plastic bag full of frosting with the corner cut out just enough to lay a thin bead of frosting on the intended target leaving little or no mess. Amazing. Who ever came up with this idea should be nominated for the volunteer of the year, or just really smart person of the year.

Once the supplies were in hand the young builders found a place at one of the many tables scattered throughout the Center and began the task of constructing a unique gingerbread creation.

At times, especially among adults, there is a tendency to lump all children together. After all, they are just kids and there has not been enough years pass for them to develop and hone distinct personalities and skills. When watching these builders, however, nothing could be farther from the truth, as a unique personality and talent could be observed in each young engineer.

Some builders were ever-so-serious and strove for meticulous detail, going for quality over quantity as far as various accoutrements. Others wanted to make sure their house had as much candy stuck to it as possible, while others were more into landscaping, ensuring there was a paved candy sidewalk leading to the house and bushes made of lifesavers and topped with frosting. Could one of these children be the next Frank Lloyd Wright or Frederick Law Olmstead? Perhaps.

As with any activity involving young children, mounds of sticky frosting, dozens of pieces of candy and brittle graham crackers, it can be assured there would be plenty of work for the clean-up crew. Surprisingly—or perhaps not considering the organization of the event—with upwards to 70 children building houses, there was nothing left over except cracker dust and a few drops of errant frosting. As a bonus, nobody threatened to eat the children, as there were no wicked witches among the volunteers.

There is one other parallel to Grimm’s fairy tale. By the looks of the children leaving the Center with their house proudly displayed on the aluminum foil-covered cardboard with parents in tow—they very well could live happily ever after.


Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
American Gothic House Center
641-652-3352
wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com


The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to match the Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant and will become endowment funds to support the Center's annual operations. As a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, you have already shown support for the American Gothic House Center. I invite you to strengthen your role in the valuable experience we provide the community by making a contribution to our fund drive. Click here to give your tax deductible gift, or head to our website for more information. Thank you to all who have donated so far!

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

300 American Gothic St | Eldon, IA 52554 | 641-652-3352 | theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

An artist…and a teacher

 

After last week’s blog there was a measure of interest as to Grant Wood’s teaching career. How long did he teach, where at, etc., were some of the questions that I received. Since this blog (who invented this label?) is devoted to all things Grant Wood, I thought a brief outline of Wood’s reaching career would be in order.

After graduating high school in 1910 and following a short stint at the Arts and Craft Guild in Minneapolis, where he studied copper work and making jewelry, Wood returned to Cedar Rapids and obtained a teaching license in 1911 and taught at a country school in Rosedale for the 1911-12 school year. Evidently, he had further ambitions of being a teacher as, at the time, teaching at a country school qualified him to teach at a city school without benefit of a college education. Or maybe he just needed a job, who knows?

After his year at Rosedale there is little evidence Wood taught again until after his discharge from the army, when, in 1919, he applied for an art teacher position in the Cedar Rapids schools. He was selected and his first classroom was at Jackson Junior High School. He was a bit short on money to buy the standard clothes teaches wore, so he taught classes wearing his army uniform. There is no doubt that Wood was a novelty at the school with his OD-green garb, but no doubt the kids got a kick out of it.

Teaching must have been a good fit for him as he was soon moved up to the high school level and taught there until 1927—although there were a couple of breaks. One during the summer of 1920 (not really a break as school wasn’t held in the summer) when he traveled to Europe with Marvin Cone, another when he took a leave of absence from 1923-24 returning to Europe to study in Paris.

After his time at Cedar Rapids schools Wood parked his teaching hat for a time while he pursued being an artist (you may have heard of some of his more noted works such as American Gothic, etc.). He did, however, accept an invitation to teach at the University of Iowa in 1934 where he had a measure of success. According to the archives, Wood began as a temporary hire but soon matriculated into a full-time associate professor. The art department also benefitted, as enrollment increased from 550 to 750 after just one year.

His time at U of I wasn’t without conflict, however. Many of his colleagues, miffed by the fact that Wood did not have an art degree, questioned and criticized his work. And he had a running battle with the department as to how much time should be devoted to teaching art history versus the creative work required to earn a Master of Arts degree (Wood, of course, sided with the creative side). The tug-of-war caused Wood so much grief he threatened to quit, but instead took a leave of absence during the 1940-41 school year.

Wood did return to the university in 1941 with the full support of the administration but it was short lived, as Wood died the next year on Feb. 12, 1942. (Taken from http://www.wapellocounty.org/americangothic/educate/gwlife.htm.)

Stories abound of various artists, regardless of the genre, that become recluses and bury themselves in their profession, their art or literature. Given Wood’s subject matter of his paintings—real life Iowans, the landscapes, the rural way of life—it seems fitting that Wood chose teaching as a parallel career. In order to paint as he did, he would have to stay engaged with life, and what better way to do it than teach?

It is inherent in a teacher to want to connect with students, to explore their thoughts and ideas, engage their minds, and, in turn, this engagement stimulates their own thoughts and forms—over the years—a unique, and singular, worldview. I am sure Wood was no different, and this engagement impacted, in some way, his development into, and legacy as, a world-class artist. 

Upcoming events at the Center:

Don’t miss the Gingerbread House Building being held this Saturday, Dec. 8 from 1 to 4 p.m. Plenty of volunteers and goodies will be on hand to fashion gingerbread creations for the holiday season.

Also this weekend is “Christmas in Eldon.” From Friday through Sunday, Eldon offers many activities including “Christmas in Wanderland” at the McHaffey Opera House where over 100 Christmas trees are on display. The Rock Island Depot will also be open and decked out for the holidays. Click here for a complete listing of activities in Eldon for the weekend.

Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
American Gothic House Center
641-652-3352
wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com


The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to match the Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant and will become endowment funds to support the Center's annual operations. As a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, you have already shown support for the American Gothic House Center. I invite you to strengthen your role in the valuable experience we provide the community by making a contribution to our fund drive. Click here to give your tax deductible gift, or head to our website for more information. Thank you to all who have donated so far!

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

300 American Gothic St | Eldon, IA 52554 | 641-652-3352 | theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Change…frustrating yet necessary

Due to a rather nasty fall a couple of weeks ago (primary reason there hasn’t been a post for the past two weeks), I have been in a rather philosophical state of mind. Dwelling on the bigger picture if you will. Perhaps if this fall occurred when I was in my 20s it would not have had quite the effect on me as it does 30 years later, but, as is said, with age comes wisdom—or something like that. Whether this applies to me or not others will have to weigh in, but I do know that as I grow older, mortality looms large and the quest for wisdom more immediate.

I wasn’t going to write about this until I happened across a box titled “Iowa Artists” at the local library. In it were numerous small scrapbooks with four devoted to Grant Wood. The gray pages of these scrapbooks were cracked and the edges were flaking. Glued to these well-worn sheets were yellowed newspaper clippings spanning some 50 years, beginning in the 1930s. All were riveting (I love reading old newspapers) but one in particular caught my eye. It was an interview with Wood published in the Iowa City Press Citizen. The year was 1938.

At the time, Wood was a professor at the University of Iowa and the focus was why, with his fame as an artist firmly established, did he bother teaching. An excerpt of the article is as follows:

“Professor Wood was born in Iowa, and he knows Iowa. For four years he has been a professor at the University if Iowa. He paints Iowa because it is what he knows, and he teaches at the university, ‘for what I can get out of it.’”

“He does not mean the money. He gets something more important than money from teaching.

‘No artist,’ says Professor Wood, ‘can afford to lose contact with life. These students are the changing generation. If great changes are coming, they will live through them.

‘If I can maintain contact with the changing generation, I shall be able to change too. That’s the real reason I like teaching.’”

The article goes on and talks about what Wood was currently doing with his art, his illustrations in Sinclair Lewis’ “Main Street,” and how he got his sister to pose for “American Gothic,” all boilerplate stuff. So I went back to his thoughts about teaching and realized that his words were analogous with life. Words to live by, if you will.

Wood used teaching to stay connected with life. From my current philosophical point of view, even though I am not a teacher, I also should strive to connect with life, to stay in touch with the younger generation, or, as Wood puts it, the “changing generation.” Because if I stay in touch with those who are changing, I too can change. Survival of the fittest might apply here.

This, however, is not easy. We are in the age of instant access to information, the intense interest on sharing life with various Facebook “friends” and Twittering every random thought on any subject, everything I find unnecessary. But this is the face of the future. For many of us of a certain age this is hard to accept—at least it is for me. I really have no desire to post to my “friends” that I just had a Diet Coke, or my current status is “head stills hurts from fall.” But just because I am not going to be an active part of it doesn’t mean I should dismiss it. This is not only the future but the present. It’s baffling at times, but I can remember when my parents thought rock ‘n roll was a passing phase. That didn’t work out for so well for them.

I am going to do my best to adapt Wood’s words to the remainder of my life. Let’s hope I am wise enough to do so.

Upcoming attractions at the American Gothic House Center:

Dec. 1 – 14 Gingerbread House Display. Various Gingerbread Houses built by area residents on exhibit at the Center.

Dec. 8 Gingerbread House decorating from 1 to 4 p.m. An annual  tradition where volunteers help children of all ages construct their own Gingerbread House.

Dec. 7 – 9 Christmas in Eldon. Eldon had numerous holiday activities planned for the weekend including the “Christmas in Wanderland” at the McHaffey Opera House where over 100 Christmas trees are on display decorated by area residents. The railroad depot will be holding an open house where the lobby and outside area will be adorned with the holiday spirit. Other activities include a noon lunch and a Boy Scout soup supper. Click here for the schedule of events.

Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
American Gothic House Center
641.652.3352
641.799.2801

The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to match the Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant and will become endowment funds to support the Center's annual operations. As a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, you have already shown support for the American Gothic House Center. I invite you to strengthen your role in the valuable experience we provide the community by making a contribution to our fund drive. Click here to give your tax deductible gift, or head to our website for more information. Thank you to all who have donated so far!

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

300 American Gothic St | Eldon, IA 52554 | 641-652-3352 | theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

The original Photoshop

I never tire of explaining to folks about American Gothic, how it was conceived by Grant Wood on a visit to Eldon in 1930, who the people in the painting are, and the fact Nan Wood Graham and Dr. McKeeby never posed in front of the house, or even together.

This last detail seems to take many by surprise, not because it is alarming news, just not expected. However, a unique response recently to this information gave me pause, as I had never considered it before.

In a conversation with a friend during a lull in the University of Iowa football game last week, the subject of American Gothic was raised. He knew I worked at the Center and asked about the house and the painting. When I told him who the man and the woman were, and they had posed separately, he exclaimed, “It’s the original Photoshop!” 

As many—or most—realize, Photoshop is both a noun and a verb. Photoshop the noun is the computer program that allows photos to be enhanced and processed. To photoshop is the act of enhancing the picture. Many times adding images that were not in the original photo, or compiling numerous images to produce an image which never existed at all. It is also in our vernacular when doubting the authenticity of a photo, such as “it’s been photoshopped.”

Prime examples of photoshopping an image are the countless parodies of American Gothic on magazine covers, in advertisements, or many other numerous venues, as well as the displays here at the Center. Many—most—are satirical in nature, meant to poke fun or drive home a point.

When pressed, Grant Wood insisted American Gothic was not a satire of Iowans. Although many at the time believed it was and he suffered the wrath of many farm wives who were convinced he was poking fun at them, despite his denial. However, given the statement from my friend, I revisited the original intent of the painting applying modern-day terminology and logic.

Since many well-known American Gothic parodies are photoshopped, and since—according to my friend—the original painting was photoshopped, could the original, in fact, be a parody of life in the Midwest, and Iowa in particular? Applying logic, since many parodies are satirical did Grant Wood actually intend to poke fun at Iowans with American Gothic?

This is highly unlikely as Photoshop did not exist in 1930. Or did it? Not by the same name, of course, but perhaps the idea was tossed around, one never knows. (Things like this seem to occupy space in my mind when I could be devoting more attention to really important issues like world peace, which isn’t going to happen anyway so I might as well waste my time pondering this.)

Nevertheless, the remark from my friend was spot-on, given what Photoshop is and how it has become part of our lexicon. It is a safe bet that Grant Wood never had Photoshop in mind when creating American Gothic, but that is exactly what he did. Face it, the guy was ahead of his time.

Remember, One week from today on Nov. 15, Larry Stone will present “Iowa—Portrait of the Land” at the Eldon Library Hall at 7 p.m.


Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
The American Gothic House Center
641.652.3352
wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com
The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to match the Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant and will become endowment funds to support the Center's annual operations. As a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, you have already shown support for the American Gothic House Center. I invite you to strengthen your role in the valuable experience we provide the community by making a contribution to our fund drive. Click here to give your tax deductible gift, or head to our website for more information. Thank you to all who have donated so far!

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

300 American Gothic St | Eldon, IA 52554 | 641-652-3352 | theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Attack of the Zombies…almost

Not exactly a Zombie Apocalypse, but last Saturday there was an invasion of sorts as close to 100 short spooks, ghouls, goblins, witches, fairies and even the cast from the Wizard of Oz descended upon the American Gothic House in seek of fun and nourishment. And they weren’t disappointed.

Depending on which way they turned the young ghouls could make spooky cookies, complete with worms, construct a paper-plate ghost, bowl a frame with a pumpkin as the ball and rolls of scary toilet paper as pins, conduct experiments with the Center’s resident Mad Scientist (bet you didn’t know we had one of them), or have a snack and wash it down with the very unappealing Putrid Punch. Full disclosure: although the punch did look terrible it tasted good, but it was tough getting past the worms.

All stations were busy, but the Mad Scientist table appeared to draw the most attention. There was almost always a crowd as our Mad Scientist (not her day job) conducted experiments with the audience and remarks such as “that’s cool” or “how does it do that?” could be overheard. Fortunately, there weren’t any serious burns or permanent disfigurement as the result of these experiments, but I did notice an odd-looking hump begin to grow on the back of one small witch. All must be well, however, as no word yet from the lawyers.

At the makeshift bowling alley bowlers were faced with a stack of ghoulish-looking toilet paper (spooky faces drawn on each roll) and given a small pumpkin complete with holes just like a real ball. Most rolled strikes, but once in awhile numerous tries were needed to pick up the spare. It didn’t matter, no one was keeping score.

Cookie-making was an art in itself. Left to choose from a host of toppings, the young guests built rather extravagant and odd-looking treats that probably wouldn’t sell well at a bakery. As it turned out, they were a lot like the punch; looked terrible but tasted pretty good. (I only know this as I took a bite out of my grandson’s.)

All the other stations were busy as well, the pitchfork races, the ghost-making, picture-taking in front of the house in full costume, and making luminaries. For about two hours there was a buzz of activity some structured, and some not so much. But what else can be expected during an invasion by short odd-looking creatures stoked with cookies and treats?

As can be seen in the photos stations were manned by more normal-looking folks (well, most of them) who were the volunteers on hand to help the nascent hobgoblins with the crafts and games. And, as usual, the event could not have been a success without them.

We have a couple weeks of breathing room as our next function will be Nov. 15 at the Eldon Library Hall when Larry Stone will present “Iowa: Portrait of the Land.” Stone’s appearance is another in a series of talks and lectures sponsored by the American Gothic House Center and the Wapello County Conservation Board.

Next up, of course, is Christmas and all the festivities involved with that. Till next time.

Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
The American Gothic House Center
641.652.3352
wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com




The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to match the Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant and will become endowment funds to support the Center's annual operations. As a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, you have already shown support for the American Gothic House Center. I invite you to strengthen your role in the valuable experience we provide the community by making a contribution to our fund drive. Click here to give your tax deductible gift, or head to our website for more information. Thank you to all who have donated so far!

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

300 American Gothic St | Eldon, IA 52554 | 641-652-3352 | theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Never a dull moment

In the near future there quite a bit in store at the American Gothic House Center and the town of Eldon. And it all starts this Saturday.

On Saturday, Oct. 27, the annual Children’s Gothic House Halloween Party, for children preschool through fifth grade, will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. This is a favorite of the Center’s director, Holly Berg, as she says it is her “only chance to be a five-year-old again.”

Activities for the day include the Pumpkin-Pitchfork Relays (don’t worry, the pitchforks are brooms), making leaf luminaries, pumpkin bowling, pictures taken in front of the American Gothic House in Halloween costumes, and a visit from a local mad scientist who will conduct spooky experiments (no live subjects). The kids will also get to make paper plate ghosts and create their own spooky cookies. Treats will be on hand including Holly’s own “putrid punch.” I’m not sure what the ingredients are but Holly has hinted there are Gummy Worms involved.

The party will be held at the Center unless the weather decides not to cooperate. If this is the case, then the festivities will move to the Eldon Library Hall located next to the Eldon Public Library. So, if you are looking for something fun to do with your children or grandchildren this Saturday put on a costume and head to the American Gothic House Center. After all, who would want to miss the “putrid punch”?

Next month, on Thursday, Nov. 15, Larry Stone, freelance writer and photographer, and former outdoor writer with the Des Moines Register, will speak at the Eldon Library Hall, Eldon, at 7 p.m. His appearance is one in a series of talks and lectures concerning Iowa, its land and people, sponsored by the American Gothic House Center and the Wapello County Conservation Board.

Stone, who has spent 40 years exploring Iowa and is the author of numerous books on Iowa life and land, will present “Iowa—Portrait of the Land.” Based on his award-winning book written for the Department of Natural Resources, “Portrait,” is a reminder to Iowans of the rich history of their natural resources.

Raised in Southern Iowa, Stone’s boyhood fascination with the creeks and woodlots on his family’s farm brings authenticity to his nature photography, writing, and lectures. With degrees in biology and journalism, he also understands the natural world and can communicate the wonders of outdoor experiences.

Stone’s program, which is cosponsored by Humanities Iowa, is free and open to the public.

In December the Holidays kick off with the Gingerbread House display at the American Gothic House Center. Gingerbread Houses will be on exhibit during normal operating hours from Dec. 1 through 14. If you are a Gingerbread House builder and wish to have your creation on display, submit your Gingerbread House at the Center by 5 pm on Nov. 30. Your house will be displayed until Dec. 14, and will serve as an inspiration for participants in the Gingerbread House making activity on Dec. 8. Amateur builders are encouraged to participate in this entertaining holiday custom.

As mentioned, the Center will host a Gingerbread House building from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday Dec. 8. The Center will have on hand graham crackers, frosting and candy to construct a unique and distinct Gingerbread House that you can take home or leave on display. Volunteers will be on hand to help construct the houses and keep a sharp watch to prevent anyone from eating the building materials.

In addition to the Gingerbread House building, Eldon will be celebrating Christmas in grand style that weekend. On Friday, Dec. 7 through Sunday, Dec. 9, the McHaffery Opera House will hold its “Christmas Tree Wanderland.” Each year volunteers and local organizations decorate and display more than 100 Christmas trees at the historic and renovated opera house. Visitors are invited to “wander” throughout the trees, partake in the complimentary snacks and enjoy the live music. Admission is free. If further information is needed, call Eldon City Hall at 641-652-7510.

Also, on Dec. 8, Eldon comes alive with the spirit of Christmas with “Christmas in Eldon.” Each year Eldon holds a day full of activities to celebrate the holidays including the Christmas Tree Wanderland at the opera house, a Tour of Homes, Christmas noon lunch and the Boy Scouts soup supper, among other activities. For a special treat, the Rock Island Railroad Depot Museum will hold an open house with Christmas displays in waiting area, as well as outside the depot.  Once more, for more information, call Eldon City Hall at 641-652-7510.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
And people say there is nothing to do in Southern Iowa.

Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
The American Gothic House Center                                                                                                      
641-652-3352
wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com



The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to match the Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant and will become endowment funds to support the Center's annual operations. As a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, you have already shown support for the American Gothic House Center. I invite you to strengthen your role in the valuable experience we provide the community by making a contribution to our fund drive. Click here to give your tax deductible gift, or head to our website for more information. Thank you to all who have donated so far!

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

300 American Gothic St | Eldon, IA 52554 | 641-652-3352 | theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

The Evolution of American Gothic

Since the portion of my brain that generates original thought (I believe it is the cerebral cortex, but I don’t really know) appears to be on strike, today’s blog will be a exert from a 2005 PopEntertainment interview conducted by Ronald Sklar with Steven Biel, author of, American Gothic: A Life of America’s Most Famous Painting.  (Plug: The book is stocked in our gift shop.) Biel, the executive director of the Humanities Center at Harvard University and senior lecturer in History and Literature, provides insight as to how the perception of the painting has changed over time and how he was introduced to American Gothic.

Sklar: In the beginning, the painting was despised by certain people and celebrated by others. As time went on, the painting took on new meanings.

Biel: It was despised and embraced, as far as I can tell, for the same reasons. It was perceived as being a work of satire. The critics who really made Wood’s reputation understood it that way. They understood him as a victim of these people and their repressiveness and hostility.

Sklar: How exactly did this painting become an American icon, the most famous painting in American history?

Biel: There is no quantifying that, really, but I would say so. It happened because over the course of the thirties in the context of the depression and throughout World War II, it changed from being that satirical image to a national symbol of stability, order, prosperity, virtue and wholesomeness.

Instead of holding its subjects up to ridicule, it now came to be seen as holding them up for admiration as quintessential Americans.  In hard times, the “let’s make fun of yokels” idea seemed kind of cruel. The conservative virtues of the Midwest were re-embraced by some East Coast critics, and even the left in the 1930s paid homage to the fortitude of the “folk.” It was a way of fighting off despair.

Sklar: From the sixties onward, this painting becomes a real source of parody -- everything from Green Acres to the yuppies to The Simple Life.

Biel: I started thinking about where I first became aware of this image. It certainly wasn’t at the Art Institute of Chicago and I certainly didn’t see it in a non-parodied form first. The first time I became aware of it was in a Country Corn Flakes commercial and in the opening credits of Green Acres. It had already become such a well-known image that it was an easy move to make. If you want to send up American heartland values or if you want to encapsulate those values in a single image, you use “American Gothic.” It’s a really effective shorthand way of capturing those myths of the true America.

The Beverly Hillbillies on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post [in 1963] is suggesting something about the wholesomeness of these yokels who find themselves in the corruption of LA. In an issue of TV Guide in the late sixties, Irene Ryan [who played Granny] really defends the non-ironic interpretation of “American Gothic.” Ryan said that the timeless values of “American Gothic” are the antidote to what was going on in the late sixties. She really identified with that image.

After that, the floodgates just opened. The first presidential couple to be parodied was the Johnsons. Every presidential couple since then have been plugged into the “American Gothic” pose.

Then you start to get these lifestyle parodies, where those old-fashioned people in the painting aren’t having any fun, but we are, with a tennis racquet or an electronics product instead of a pitchfork. They are playing on the immediate recognition of the image and at the same time saying that consuming this or that product is wholeheartedly American.


The joke couldn’t be more blatant than with Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie in The Simple Life. These people are being plopped into middle America and there is a clash of values. That’s the whole premise of the show.

Sklar: Is the actual painting itself still relevant today?

Biel: It’s hard for a parody of this painting to really work anymore, to carry any kind of potent message. To give it some power, to make it stand out from all the other parodies, takes extraordinary creativity. Of course, it’s impossible for it to stir up the passions that it stirred up in 1930. But it’s well worth understanding its rich history and coming to see how and why, at one time, it had the power to offend people

Me: It is difficult to imagine how American Gothic would offend anyone, but I did not live during that time, and like Biel, was introduced to American Gothic in a similar fashion. If nothing else the evolution of American Gothic is food for thought, especially when it is applied in a broader sense. But that will be for another day when my brain goes off strike.
Don’t forget the upcoming events:

October 27: Children’s Gothic Halloween Party, 2-4 pm

November 15: Humanities Iowa Lecturer Larry Stone. Eldon Library Hall, 7 pm

December 1-14: Gingerbread House Display

December 8: Gingerbread House Decorating, 1-4 pm


Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
The American Gothic House Center
641.652.3352
wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com

The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to match the Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant and will become endowment funds to support the Center's annual operations. As a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, you have already shown support for the American Gothic House Center. I invite you to strengthen your role in the valuable experience we provide the community by making a contribution to our fund drive. Click here to give your tax deductible gift, or head to our website for more information. Thank you to all who have donated so far!

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

300 American Gothic St | Eldon, IA 52554 | 641-652-3352 | theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Surprise yourself with another look

I make a habit of revisiting good books, or other forms of art, which especially move me. There is no set time for this relook but it is usually after something jogs my memory. Such has been the case this past week.

Recently, after a visit to Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.—home of the Green Bay Packers—I got to thinking about a book I read when I was around 12 years old about the Packers. I recalled little about the book other than it was written by a lineman with the last name of Kramer and it made quite an impression on me at the time. Last week, while at a book store I frequent, the clerk and I got into a discussion about the Packers (they had lost miserably the day before). One thing led to another, I mentioned the book, found it had been re-released a few years back and, by luck, she had one in stock. That very afternoon I tore into Instant Replay, by Jerry Kramer.

It is one thing to read a book a few years after the first read, but quite another to visit it 30 years later. Think child’s eyes versus an adult’s. For instance, from the first read I remembered Kramer writing about how the players would drink pop at the local bowling alley during breaks in pre-season training. The second time around I realized “pop” was code for beer (no doubt trying to protect impressionable young men like me). I also noticed how much money was a motivator to Kramer, as well as other players on the team ($25,000 to each player on the team that won the NFL Championship). This was something I hadn’t picked up on before, no doubt focusing on other aspects of the game which intrigued me more.

But there is one stark difference that struck me more than anything else: at the time all the players Kramer wrote about were playing. I would see them on Sunday afternoon, read about them and when the neighborhood gathered for a game of touch football we were Bart Starr, Paul Hornung or Ray Nitscke. In the 1960s they were in their prime as players, now most are in their 70s and some are gone. Today, the book is history; then it was real. Thirty years makes quite a difference in perspective.

Perspective is the primary reason a relook at literature or art is worth the time. When art is approached it is usually viewed through a certain lens. Sure, there are folks out there that have the ability to look objectively and deeply into art, discovering the intricacies it offers, but it is my belief that most of us are casual observers. We approach a work of art with a certain perspective which narrows the experience. It’s not a bad thing, but this perspective is the exact reason why art should be revisited, to find yet undiscovered—by many of us anyway—vagaries and meanings.

I do this on a weekly basis with the work of Grant Wood. Since the Center is lined with various prints by Wood there is ample opportunity to revisit all of his most famous works and discover something new, or realize that a certain work is gaining favor over another. So, if you haven’t visited us for awhile, or never have visited us, plan a trip or stop by, take a closer look at the repeating images in American Gothic or Parson Weems Fable. Or discover for the first time the smug faces on the dowagers in Daughters of Revolution. It is not only revealing, it’s fun.

Speaking of fun, it’s almost time for the annual American Gothic House Halloween Party.

This year the party will be held on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 2-4 pm. Children preschool through fifth grade are invited to come to the American Gothic House in costume and make a spooky American Gothic parody in front of the house that made Grant Wood famous.  Other activities planned for the day include making paper-plate ghosts and leaf luminaries, pumpkin-pitchfork relays and a mad-scientist will be making an appearance. All activities are free. In case of rain the party will be moved to the Eldon Library Hall. For more information contact Holly Berg at TheAmericanGothicHouse@gmail.com.

Other upcoming events:
Nov. 15: Humanities Iowa Lecturer Larry Stone 7:00 pm
Dec. 1-14: Gingerbread House Display
Dec. 8: Gingerbread House Decorating 1:00-4:00 pm

Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
The American Gothic House Center
641.652.3352
wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com
The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to match the Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant and will become endowment funds to support the Center's annual operations. As a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, you have already shown support for the American Gothic House Center. I invite you to strengthen your role in the valuable experience we provide the community by making a contribution to our fund drive. Click here to give your tax deductible gift, or head to our website for more information. Thank you to all who have donated so far!

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

300 American Gothic St | Eldon, IA 52554 | 641-652-3352 | theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

American Gothic and Grant Wood turns up when you least expect

On a trip to the grocery store in Egg Harbor, Door County, Wis. last week I was somewhat surprised to see an American Gothic parody on the door of a unisex bathroom. At first it appeared to be a normal parody, but upon closer inspection the structure was not the American Gothic House, but rather the grocery store. In the background, fittingly, was Green Bay, which borders Egg Harbor on the West.

As far as props, the man is holding a turkey and bottles of wine (the latter something Door County is noted for) and the woman is holding, most likely, either an apple or cherry pie (both grow in abundance in the area, the fruit not the pies). As all parodies go it was fun, but the background detail found in the painting was impressive. Obviously the artist, or the owners, perhaps one in the same, wanted to showcase their store (and the bathroom door) via the recognizable and iconic American Gothic—clever.

A bit closer to home, in Marshalltown, word is there may be a hidden Grant Wood mural in the Tallcorn Towers Apartment building (drum roll, please). However, residents of the town will not know for sure until after the first of the year.

Built in 1928 by the Eppley Hotel Company, the building has recently changed hands and renovation is scheduled to begin in January. After the discovery of an article in a June 6, 1949 edition of the paper, which reported Wood had been commissioned to paint a mural in the ballroom, eyebrows began to raise with the possibility of a Grant Wood original in the soon-to-be-renovated building

According to a Sept. 21 article in the Marshalltown Times-Republican, under the layers of wallpaper and paint in the ballroom hallway (photo at right courtesy of the Marshalltown Times Republican and Mike Donahey) of the former hotel a mural by Grant Wood could exist based on the article found in the archives of the newspaper. Evidence is sketchy, however, as local historians are unable to confirm Wood ever worked at the hotel. Stay tuned for future updates.

Getting back to Door County—we don’t mind if we get a plug from other parts of the country so I don’t mind giving one—if you are not familiar with the area it is a peninsula wedged between Lake Michigan and Green Bay. It’s a place of sailing vessels, blue water, lighthouses, roadside stands and an ample supply of bars—plenty of bars—and restaurants. Cheese and fruit is in abundance, as well as every kind of beer imaginable. It  does not allow chain restaurants and hotels and motels are locally owned. It is known for big water, trees and quiet. A perfect place to escape, relax, and reflect. Something we all need to do on occasion.

Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
The American Gothic House
641.652.3352
wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com

The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to match the Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant and will become endowment funds to support the Center's annual operations. As a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, you have already shown support for the American Gothic House Center. I invite you to strengthen your role in the valuable experience we provide the community by making a contribution to our fund drive. Click here to give your tax deductible gift, or head to our website for more information. Thank you to all who have donated so far!

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

300 American Gothic St | Eldon, IA 52554 | 641-652-3352 | theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Of Masters, Volunteers, Potlucks and a Noble Chief

On vacation to Massachusetts a few years ago, my wife and daughter opted for a day by the pool and I was left to my own devices, which led me to a sparse bedroom, in an old house, in Concord.  I was accompanied by an attractive woman close to my age whom I had never met before and soon found we shared a common interest—Nathaniel Hawthorne. The house was the Old Manse, built by the Rev. William Emerson, father of Ralph Waldo Emerson, in 1770. The woman was the docent.

The bedroom was also Hawthorne’s study while he and his wife, Sophia, lived in the Old Manse, the place where he wrote Mosses from an Old Manse, a collection of short stories which features some of his most famous works. Since I was—and am—a student of Hawthorne, it goes without saying I was a bit overwhelmed by the sense of place, and intimidated knowing that anything I wrote would pale in comparison.

Hawthorne wasn’t the only draw the Old Manse offered. Looking out the window I could see the site where the Battle of Lexington and Concord was fought on April 19, 1775. It is said William Emerson stood in the same room and observed the battle.

I had a similar experience last Saturday when I visited Grant Wood’s studio, No. 5 Turner Alley, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Like the Old Manse, I was accompanied by a well-informed docent who filled in the details and answered questions. However, he was quite unlike my docent at The Old Manse, who was enamored with Hawthorne to the point that if she could master the time-space continuum, would have married him that very afternoon.

It is one thing to read or view the work of masters such as Hawthorne and Wood, but to stand in the place where they scratched out texts or sketches, throwing away draft after draft until just the right mix was found to create a masterpiece, is quite another.

Closer to home, the Center is gearing up for the annual Volunteer Recognition Night. Since the American Gothic House Center draws visitors from across the United States and around the world, it could not operate without a network of volunteers willing to share their time and expertise to greet and educate visitors on the house, Grant Wood and his life.

Over this past year 49 volunteers have devoted over 1,600 hours to greeting visitors, providing tours and taking pictures of folks in costume in front of the American Gothic House. In appreciation, one evening is set aside to honor these volunteers and their service with a potluck dinner. This year the event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 5-6:30 pm. at the American Gothic House Center. The theme of this year’s event is “Volunteers are the Seeds to our Success.”

The evening will be normal potluck fare—everybody brings something to share with the others. This year an invitation has been extended to anyone that might be interested in volunteering, as this would be an excellent time to learn about what volunteers do and how much fun it can be. If any of you readers are interested in lending a hand at the Center, cook up your favorite dish and stop by for the evening, or please contact Holly Berg at 641-652-3352 or email theamericangothichouse@gmail.com.

One last note. Just prior to the event, from 3 to 5 pm, the statue of Chief Wapello will be on display in the parking lot. For those of you who are not familiar with the Chief Wapello statue, it held a place of honor atop the Wapello County Courthouse for 118 years until a storm toppled him last summer. The statue is scheduled to be restored this winter, but in the meantime Wapello County Supervisor Jerry Parker is taking the statue on tour around the county allowing an up-close look at the county’s namesake.

Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
The American Gothic House
641.652.3352
wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com

The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. Funds raised in this campaign will be used to match the Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant and will become endowment funds to support the Center's annual operations. As a subscriber to the weekly newsletter, you have already shown support for the American Gothic House Center. I invite you to strengthen your role in the valuable experience we provide the community by making a contribution to our fund drive. Click here to give your tax deductible gift, or head to our website for more information. Thank you to all who have donated so far!

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

300 American Gothic St | Eldon, IA 52554 | 641-652-3352 | theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Art is meant to inspire, and move

September Twelfth, 2001

Two caught on film who hurtle

from the eighty-second floor,

choosing between a fireball

and to jump holding hands,

aren't us. I wake beside you,

stretch,scratch, taste the air,

the incredible coffee

and the morning light.

Alive, we open eyelids

on our pitiful share of time,

we bubbles rising and bursting

in a boiling pot.                                                         

X.J. Kennedy

Oddly I ran across this poem yesterday, September 12. I try not to dwell much on the events 11 years ago, although the carnage of that day and the after effects that are still with us make it hard to forget for long.

The poem touched me as I—as well as almost everyone else—is a person in the last two stanzas. Awakening that morning, believing it was just another day, but soon realizing it wasn’t. Riveted to the television, watching with horror the events unravel and wondering when the next shoe would drop. Hurting and aching for the victims and their families, and quietly grateful that my family was close by, safe, and alive. Then later, facing the stark realization there is only but a short time on this earth, living our lives “like bubbles rising in a boiling pot and bursting, never to exist again.”

Strangely, in the same collection of poems I ran across another that hit home, and again it was contingent on the date, as the next day—today—is my youngest daughter’s birthday. This is the second year in a row that we are not together on this day, as she is away at college. No more cake and ice cream and balloons around the kitchen table, now a box in the mail, a text and later a phone call. The following poem is for any parent that has stood in the driveway and watched a child drive away into adulthood.

To a Daughter Leaving Home

When I taught you
at eight to ride
a bicycle, loping along
beside you
as you wobbled away
on two round wheels,
my own mouth rounding
in surprise when you pulled
ahead down the curved
path of the park,
I kept waiting
for the thud
of your crash as I
sprinted to catch up,
while you grew
smaller, more breakable
with distance,
pumping, pumping
for your life, screaming,
with laughter,
the hair flopping
behind you like a
handkerchief waving
goodbye.

Linda Pastan

The American Gothic House Center is devoted to art, primarily the art of one’s man’s ability to place a brush on canvas. But in the bigger picture, here, as well and hundreds of similar institutions across the country and the world, art in general is recognized as something that touches enough to move, to stir an emotion, to tread lightly on the soul. Paint on canvas has that ability, but also poetry, literature, motion pictures, the list goes on.

Embrace art in all of its many forms. Seek it out, observe it, read it and touch it, then, most importantly, allow it to touch you.

 Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
The American Gothic House Center
641.652.3352
wapellocountymediacoordinator.com

Good old days? Hardly.

 If you are wondering what the image of the arcane wrench on the left symbolizes and what it could possibly have to do with Grant Wood, there is a connection; although admittedly remote. However, the explanation will come a bit later.

I have never been one to buy into the aphorism “the good old days.” I am a product of these so-called days and I remember well as a kid descending the stairs into our creepy basement, opening the door of the even more creepy coal room and shoveling coal into the big, scary furnace. Then at least once a week shovel out the clinkers from the bottom of the furnace into a bucket, walk up the outside steps to the gravel street and fill the potholes. Needless to say I haven’t done that for a while.

Years later, when I owned an older home, it was almost an occupation getting it ready for winter. It was an annual ritual to cover the windows with plastic using lath boards to secure the sides and stack bales of straw around the foundation to keep the wind from blowing through the floor. This was in the middle of what I refer to as “my” recession, as I was a carpenter in the early 80s and couldn’t buy a job. Consequently wood was the fuel of choice and necessity in order to save on gas, and for at three consecutive winters every weekend in the fall and winter was spent in the timber to ensure the fire kept burning. Now to get ready for winter I shut my windows. Good old days? I think not.

I can say with conviction that those times were simpler. Times before computers, dish television with a choice of hundreds of channels (I had three growing up and into my adult years), cell phones making instant contact the norm, and, of course, before smart phones. (I can remember when I used to be smart, not the phone.) So instead of “good old days,” I believe “simpler old days” is much more accurate appraisal of years past. However, there is still simplicity in the world, if you know where to look. And if you haven’t guessed it yet this is where the wrench comes in.

Recently I had to rework my kitchen sink as a leak had developed around the strainer basket and found myself in need of a spanner wrench for the strainer nut (the thingy that holds the basket in place). I hadn’t bought one in many years and wondered what new-fangled type wrench I would have to buy. I went to the hardware store and found the exact same type of wrench I had bought around 30 years ago, imagine that. The handle was embossed with “STAINER NUT WRENCH” in case there was any doubt what it was. Simple. No change in 30 years, just your basic, utilitarian, no-nonsense tool. Other things remained the same—and simple—about the project, I still had to get on my back and cuss a few times as usual before the job was done, but I actually knew what I was doing and found it refreshing that no new skill set was required, no buttons needed pushed and no website needed accessed. Sweet.

One could believe that Grant Wood might have believed in the “good old days” as his paintings reflect wholesome, idyllic images from an earlier era, images that are devoid of modern conveniences that would do little other than clutter up the landscape. The good old days, perhaps?  I think not. Simpler days? Definitely.

Wood lived through times of enormous change, as we have. His life began simply, but hardly easy, on the farm where in the late 1890s life was difficult at best. He witnessed the dawn of a new century, lived through and was a part of World War I—the Great War as it was called back then. Witnessed the decadence of the 1920s, fell into near poverty, then finally found his place in life by framing what he knew, simple things, not necessarily better, but definitely simpler. I believe Grant Wood would appreciate the strainer nut wrench.


Brian Chambers
Media Coordinator
The American Gothic House Center
641.652.3352
wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com

Steamer tour heats up American Gothic House

 Appropriately named, the Iowa Steamin’ Hot Tour hit the American Gothic House and Center Tuesday morning with an array of onlookers on hand to see something most of them had only heard about or seen pictures of—100 year-old steam cars, Stanly Steamers to be exact.

Several times throughout the year owners of steam cars plan and coordinate driving tours around the country and this year Stanley Steamer owner and trip organizer Nancy Roach of Libertyville, Ill. picked a corner of Southeast Iowa, with a stop at the American Gothic House and Center as part of the itinerary. And that is what brought a dozen steam-powered cars with drivers and passengers, along with a support staff in normal-looking cars with windows and air conditioning to town. In all, 46 steam cars enthusiasts from across the United States descended on the Center for refreshments and to have their picture taken—along with their car—in front of the American Gothic House.

One by one with steam billowing all around the drivers pulled onto the pad in front of the house while volunteers stood by with the necessary props to help each of them get in character. It was both fun and educational, considering absolutely none of us at the Center had a clue about how a steam-powered car operated. Did you know these cars operate with an open flame that heats the water to make the steam? A bit on the dangerous side it would appear.

While standing in front of the house talking about the tour, Nancy’s husband, Mike Roach, immediately made a connection with none other than Grant Wood. Speaking about driving throughout the countryside he observed that “around very corner there is a Grant Wood theme.”

This is usually the way things go, it takes someone not of here to point out the obvious to those of us who are here. On his drive he saw the same dry corn as I do; the same ponds that are in need of water and still sees something Grant Wood could have painted. All I see is dry corn and brown grass. If I was so inclined I would use the glass half empty/half full line but I hate clichés so I won’t. Anyway, it is obvious.

I thought about his words the rest of the day and come to conclude that Mike is right; our countryside does look like a Grant Wood scene, especially if it is viewed as what it could. Maybe I need to start looking the landscape differently. This, of course, brings to mind another cliché…

A word about the volunteers:

Ten volunteers showed up to help with the pictures, serve pie and coffee, man the gift or do whatever else needed done in support of the tour. The American Gothic House Center became a reality thanks to local volunteers and each one of them is vital to daily operations. Thanks once again volunteers, the Center could not operate without you.

Labor Day: The American Gothic House Center will be open from 1-4 pm on Labor Day, Sept. 3.

To see what it was like Tuesday at the Center click on the following link to our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151209811146449.498792.80025816448&type=3

Brian Chambers

Media Coordinator

The American Gothic House Center

641.652.3352

Wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com