The American Gothic House

American Gothic House a Top 10 Place to Travel

2012-01-19T16:21:00.002-06:00

This week I found out the American Gothic House is featured in Lonely Planet’s “Best in Travel 2012” book! After learning of this, I quickly obtained an iBook copy as I was too impatient to wait for the bookstore to open the next day. I found that we had made the list of “Top 10 Places to Put Yourself in the Picture”. The section reads. “Are they really pretty as a picture? Walk into the world’s most famous works of art”. Top destinations were in Denmark, France, Spain, French Polyneisa…and Iowa! I was ecstatic to say the least!

Looking for an easy and FREE way to support the American Gothic House Center? The American Gothic House Center is now a member of www.ShopForMuseums.com. This is a free program where you can make purchases at hundreds of online stores and a percentage of the proceeds (which varies depending on the company) go to the American Gothic House Center. No need to register, (but you can if you would like to track your donation) just simply click on American Gothic House Center under the list of organizations, and then find the store you would like to shop. You are not charged any more for your purchase by going through this site, but it generates a donation for the Center! As always, we appreciate your support!

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@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!

Winter finally arrives at the American Gothic House

2012-01-12T14:26:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I found myself outside working in the gardens…in January! Winter took a long time to come to Eldon this year, much so that I and the gardening volunteers were beginning to fret about the flowers popping up early. How it has changed in less than a day! I went from a t-shirt and sunglasses to a sweater, boots, heavy coat, and a hat in record time. With the blowing snow I’m lucky I can still see the American Gothic House from the Center’s window!

Looking outside makes me want to warm up with a nice hot bowl of soup. So what better time to make plans for Grant Wood’s Birthday Soup Smorgasbord! This year will mark the 121st anniversary of Grant Wood’s birth and we will celebrate on Saturday, February 11th (February 13th is his actual birthday) with our annual Soup Smorgasbord. Escape the winter blues and join us at the Eldon KD Center from 11:00am-1:00pm where you can find an array of soups, breads, and friendly company to warm your tummy and your heart. Free will donations for the Soup Smorgasbord will support exhibits and educational activities at the American Gothic House Center. Be sure to mark your calendars now!

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@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!

Holiday hours and American Gothic House on NPR

2011-12-22T14:38:00.001-06:00

Happy holidays to all of our followers!

The Center will be closed Friday, December 23-Sunday, December 25. The Center will reopen on Monday, December 26. Our Monday hours are 1-4pm.

Last week, Beth Howard, Pie Lady and current tenant of the American Gothic House, was featured on “The Story”, a National Public Radio broadcast. You can here her interview at this link: http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_121511_full_show.mp3/view

Oh, and for those in the Ottumwa area, be sure to check out the Holiday Nights ‘n Lights display! I was excited to see they had American Gothic created from lights! I tried to take a picture to add to the newsletter, but unfortunately it did not turn out, so you can check it out by going through the Holiday Nights ‘n Lights! http://holidaynightsandlights.com/

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@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!

"Woolly Thoughts" of American Gothic

2011-12-15T14:39:00.003-06:00

A new cold front moving in to the area has turned the American Gothic House Center frigid after hitting over 60 degrees yesterday. I popped out once from the Center today to take a picture for some visitors in front of the house, and now I’m feeling chilled to the bone!

I felt a bit warmer after receiving an email from a company called Woolly Thoughts that has created a very interesting knitted version of American Gothic. The technique is called “illusion knit” where you don’t see the image from the front, but only from the sides of the piece.

You can also see a video of the work at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5Df3R8g8nc

You can check out Woolly Thoughts at their website to learn more about this technique http://www.illusionknitting.woollythoughts.com They even have patterns for purchase to make your own American Gothic illusion knit. I think I might have to get some for our gift shop!

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Holiday happenings this weekend in Eldon!

2011-12-01T12:31:00.000-06:00

It is time again for the American Gothic House Center annual Gingerbread House Display! The entries this year are very cute and creative…and have already filled most of the Center with their sweet smell! The display will be up today through December 14 during regular museum hours.

This Saturday we will host the Gingerbread House Activity from 1:00-4:00pm. Stop by the Center and make your own gingerbread house with graham crackers, frosting and candy! We will have treats for everyone who stops by and you will have a chance to see the submitted gingerbread houses on display.

And be sure to see all of the other activities going on in Eldon this weekend! The “Tour of Homes” is also Saturday with tours running from 10am-2pm and 5pm-8pm. Tickets are $5.00 and will be available at the Opera House that day.

The Eldon Depot will have their Christmas Celebration Friday from 12:00-5:00pm and Saturday from 9:00am-9:00pm. Bring the kids as they will be running the trains during open hours and plan to run the big train around on the flat to see Christmas lights after dark!

Stop by the Opera House December 2-4 and December 10-11 for the annual Christmas Tree Wonderland. See over 100 decorated Christmas trees and seasonal vignettes on the ground floor of the opera house. There will be a gift booth and bake sale held in conjunction with the displayed trees. Seating is provided so that you may sit and enjoy a snack and listen to the Christmas music.

Also, don’t forget there is just over a week left to bid on the Jerry Ranch window print! ALL of the proceeds go towards the Center’s Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge grant. It would make a great gift and supports a great cause at the same time! You can find more information about the auction at this link: http://www.wapellocounty.org/americangothic/events/auction.html

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@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!

Happy Thanksgiving from AGHC!

2011-11-23T11:29:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The Center will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but open Friday, November 25 from 1-4 pm. We will then resume our regular winter hours of Saturday-Monday 1-4pm and Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm.

And remember, there are just over two weeks left to bid on the Jerry Ranch Photo Auction! All proceeds from the auction will go towards our Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Campaign, so it is a great piece of art for a great cause! The auction runs until 5:00 pm on December 9th. Bids can be made on our website, by phone, or in person at the American Gothic House Center. Bids by phone and in person on the last day of bidding would be much appreciated, as bids will most likely be coming in quickly that day! Information about the auction can be found at this link:

http://www.wapellocounty.org/americangothic/events/auction.html

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Lecture Series tonight and AGHC tidbits from the web

2011-11-17T12:11:00.001-06:00

Just a reminder that UNI Professor Roy Behrens will be presenting “Looking Closer at Grant Wood: What Did He Do, and How Did He Do It?” tonight at 7:00pm at the Eldon Library Hall. His lecture will discuss Grant Wood’s life, how he was trained, what he achieved, and how he was influenced as well as who he, in turn, influenced. His talk will include rare photographs of Wood, his students, and his contemporaries, accompanied by eyewitness stories about his creative process, his methods, his failings, his sense of humor, and the growth of his basic beliefs about art.

A few new videos about the American Gothic House and the Center have popped up on the web lately. One family who visited recently created a video of their visit, which features one of our volunteers, Allen! Allen does a great job in the video explaining the history of the house and painting, so be sure to check it out!

http://vimeo.com/30756536

Also, Kohler just posted a news release and video showing the improvements made to the kitchen from their donation of a new sink and faucet. The video features Beth Howard, the American Gothic House pie baker, and operator of the Pitchfork Pie Stand. It is definitely a great video as well!

http://www.pitchengine.com/kohler/kohler-co-donates-and-installs-enameled-cast-iron--kitchen-sink-in-american-gothic-house

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Holidays are quickly approaching!

2011-11-10T13:16:00.000-06:00

As the first snow touched down yesterday at the American Gothic House Center, I finally accepted that winter is indeed just around the corner. But the one good thing is that this means it is almost time for the Holidays to kick in!

The American Gothic House Center will again present its annual Gingerbread House Display. Everyone is welcome to submit a gingerbread house to be displayed at the Center from December 1-December 14. Submissions should be brought to the Center by 5:00 pm on November 30th. I’ve already begun brainstorming my design!

On Saturday, December 3rd we will host the Gingerbread House Activity from 1:00-4:00pm. Stop by the Center and make your own gingerbread house made out of graham crackers, frosting and candy! We will have treats for everyone who stops by and you will have a chance to see the submitted gingerbread houses on display.

There will be many other activities going on in Eldon that weekend! There will be a “Tour of Homes” on Saturday with tours running from 10am-2pm and 5pm-8pm. Featured homes will be decked out in Christmas finery and open to the public. Tickets are $5.00 and will be available at the Opera House that day.

The Eldon Depot will be having their Christmas Celebration December 2nd and 3rd. They will be open on the 2nd from 12:00-5:00pm and Saturday from 9:00am-9:00pm. Bring the kids as they will be running the trains during open hours and plan to run the big train around on the flat to see Christmas lights after dark!

Stop by the Opera House from December 2-4 and December 10-11 for the annual Christmas Tree Wonderland. See over 100 decorated Christmas trees and seasonal vignettes on the ground floor of the opera house. There will be a gift booth and bake sale held in conjunction with the displayed trees. Seating is provided so that you may sit and enjoy a snack and listen to the Christmas music. The American Gothic House Center will have a tree decorated as well. I’ve been working on making some new decorations for the tree this year. This is what I’ve come up with so far!

These are just a few of the events being held the first weekend in December. Please contact Eldon City Hall at 641-652-7510.

Here is a complete list of upcoming programs and closings at the American Gothic House Center:

November 11th: Center is closed in observance of Veterans Day

November 17th: Professor Roy Behrens presents “Looking Closer at Grant Wood: What Did He Do, and How Did He Do it? 7:00 pm at Eldon Library Hall

November 24th and 25th: Center is closed for Thanksgiving

November 30th: Gingerbread houses for display due at the Center by 5:00 pm

December 1-14: Gingerbread House Display

December 3: Gingerbread House Activity at the American Gothic House Center from 1:00pm-4:00pm

December 24-25: Closed for Christmas

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

How far would you travel to see the American Gothic House?

2011-11-03T15:19:00.001-05:00

Today started quite dreary in Eldon as the cold rain blew around outside my window at the American Gothic House Center. I thought to myself “Who would want to be out in this weather?”, but not too long after we opened for the day a car pulled up and a woman hurried inside from the blustery drizzle. Her name was Christy and she was from New Jersey (and worked in New York City). Now, of course we have visitors from all over the United States (and the world for that matter), but many of them come here as a stop during a road trip, or as a day trip from somewhere not too far away. Christy had no reason to come to Iowa except to fulfill her dream of seeing the American Gothic House.

She had business in Minnesota and thought that perhaps that is the closest she would ever be to the American Gothic House. She thought this might be her only chance so she made a plan to fly out of Des Moines instead of Minneapolis and got in her rental car and made the 8 hour trek to Eldon to carry out her plan. Christy is an art historian who specializes in historic architecture…which probably explains why she was so drawn to see the house!

The weather cleared up to take a few pictures in front of the house before she had to head down the road to make her flight out of Des Moines. Christy was so elated to visit that it definitely turned this gloomy day around!

In other news, UNI Professor Roy Behrens will be presenting “Looking Closer at Grant Wood: What Did He Do, and How Did He Do It?” on Thursday, November 17 at 7:00 pm at the Eldon Library Hall. The attention given to Wood’s most famous painting, American Gothic, often prevents us from focusing on his other accomplishments. How was he trained? What influenced him? Who in turn did he influence? What did he achieve in his life? This talk will include rare photographs of Wood, his students, and his contemporaries, accompanied by eyewitness stories about his creative process, his methods, his failings, his sense of humor, and the growth of his basic beliefs about art.

Funding for this presentation is provided by Humanities Iowa, a private, non-profit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. A cultural resource for Iowans since 1971, Humanities Iowa offers many cultural and historical programs and grants to Iowa’s communities.

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

A Poetry Treat!

2011-10-27T16:02:00.001-05:00

Writer David K. Leff recently sent me a poem he wrote after visiting the American Gothic House a few years ago:

Believing is Seeing (a poem about America's most recognized painting)

Posed with a pitchfork
before a board-and-batten, steep gabled cottage
with a pointed window, the American Gothic
couple gazes from the canvass in eternal taciturnity.

In the hushed, polished halls of downtown
Chicago hangs this two-faced symbol
of gritty, rural resourcefulness
and small-town rigidity.

I stand among millions who’ve stared back, unsure
what I’m seeing, caught between a kitsch joke
and a culture hungry for something deep, enduring
and blessed by high art.

A little battered and alligatored with old
paint, the structure still sits as Grant Wood
sketched it in a whimsical stop-the-car
moment. Having already been there without traveling,

I walked around amazed at its sudden
three-dimensionality, the sky as pale and luminous
as the painter’s pigment. I conjured
the grim-faced iconic couple out front, knowing

they never lived there, weren’t paired
or even painted together. But the artist’s sister and dentist
were destined to stand just beyond the porch,
married forever in a sacred, fractured authenticity

Not so much a painting as a mirror, this American
Sphinx is Old Glory and Miss Liberty,
has marketed greeting cards and television shows,
sold cereal and promoted politicians.

Patriotic fairytale more real than an Eldon, Iowa
house or two people who sat for their portraits,
it tells us stories we are starved to hear
because what we believe is what we see.

Thank you to David for sharing his lovely poem! You can read this poem, and other samples of his work, at his website: www.davidkleff.com

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Homecoming Parade and Halloween is just around the corner!

2011-10-20T16:25:00.001-05:00

Fall is in full swing in this neck of the woods, and the Center has still been keeping very busy with visitors, especially bus tours! So many visitors have been through on their quest to find fall colors that I have kept the fall color report up on my computer every day!

With it being a bustling time at the Center, I almost forgot to share our recent homecoming experience! As part of the Cardinal High School homecoming festivities, AGHC had an entry in the Homecoming Parade. We decorated a truck with Cardinal colors and placed our gothic house cutout in the back. Our two high school participants showed their Cardinal Comet pride while sitting in front of our gothic house backdrop. Check out these photos from our entry!

Don’t forget about the upcoming Gothic Halloween Party! The event will run from 2-3 pm Saturday, October 29th. The event is open to children preschool through fifth grade (parents are encouraged to attend with small their small children). Activities will include a pumpkin-pitchfork relay, make your own stained-glass candy corn and decorate spooky cookies. A mad scientist will even be at the event with exciting experiments! The Pitchfork Pie Stand will also be open that day for “Pumpkin Pie Palooza” from Noon-4pm!

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

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

Homecoming Parade and Halloween is just around the corner!

2011-10-20T16:25:00.000-05:00

With it being a bustling time at the Center, I almost forgot to share our recent Homecoming experience! As part of the Cardinal High School homecoming festivities, AGHC had an entry in the Homecoming Parade. We decorated a truck with Cardinal colors and placed our gothic house cutout in the back. Our two high school participants showed their Cardinal Comet pride while sitting in front of our gothic house backdrop. Check out these photos from our entry!

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

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

Jerry Ranch Photo Auction and a Thank You to our Volunteers

2011-10-06T12:18:00.000-05:00

As part of our endowment campaign, the American Gothic House Center is now auctioning a beautiful print donated by photographer Jerry Ranch. The work was created by photographer Jerry Ranch (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ranchjp/) in 2010. The image was taken from inside the American Gothic House and is a composite of 10 separate photographs. The print is the only one in existence, and the artist has stated that no others will be created making it one-of-a-kind!

The work is hung in a simple black frame and measures 31 inches x 38 inches. All proceeds from the auction will go towards matching funds for our Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant. Bids can be made in person at the Center, over the phone, by email, or on our website. For more information on the auction please visit the auction page on our website: http://www.wapellocounty.org/americangothic/events/auction.html

Also, last Saturday, the American Gothic House Center hosted its annual Volunteer Potluck. We had excellent weather and everyone had an enjoyable time! As not everyone could attend, I would like to take this time to thank all of the volunteers at the Center for their hard work and dedication. The Center could not operate without you, and I greatly appreciate your continued efforts. Furthermore, I would like to thank all of the volunteers for helping me become settled into my new position over the last few months. I hope to continue to build lasting friendships with everyone through our work together at the Center.

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

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

American (disc) Golfic and a new AGHC Fundraiser!

2011-09-15T15:55:00.001-05:00

The city of Eldon has a new great attraction to offer! A nine-hole disc golf course has been installed. The Chippewa Creek Disc Golf Course begins next to the American Gothic House Center and goes along the trail behind the center. You can even purchase discs in the American Gothic House Center gift shop that feature the gothic window from the house (pictured to the right)!

The course is open at all times, and there is no cost to use the course.

The grand opening of the course will be held on Saturday, September 24 at 2:00 pm (but it is open for use now). At that time there will be demonstrations for those interested in learning how to play disc golf and try out the course. Supper in the Park will be held from 5-7 pm in Eldon City Park with proceeds to go towards the new disc golf course. Come out for some grilled burgers, brats, and hotdogs. There will also be many great giveaways and a drawing where you can win one of two disc golf bags being raffled. For more information contact Eldon City Hall at 641-652-7510.

Also, The American Gothic House Center is participating in Community Days to raise funds for our Iowa Cultural Heritage Trust Endowment Challenge Grant! For a $5 donation you receive a coupon book to use at Herberger's (as well as their other affiliated stores including Younkers and Bergner's) on November 11-12. 100% of the sales benefit AGHC! To purchase a booklet stop by or contact us! More information on the Community Days, and to see a listing of all of the coupons in the booklet please visit the Community Days website: http://communitydayevent.com/

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Labor Day Weekend at AGHC

2011-09-01T17:26:00.001-05:00

The American Gothic House Center will be open regular hours Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 1-4pm. The center will also be open on Labor Day from 1-4 pm!

Also, this weekend is the last weekend that the Pitchfork Pie Stand will be open for the season! The stand will be open 12-5 pm on Saturday and Sunday, but not open on Labor Day. Beth will have the stand open for “Pumpkin Pie Palooza” October 29th to coincide with the Halloween party at the American Gothic House Center!

Also, this weekend is Walk on Art Street in Ottumwa! There will be 65 artists selling their works, entertainment on the Central Park Stage, and children’s activities. The event runs from 10am-4pm on 3rd Street by Central Park. The American Gothic House Center will be there at a booth with the Ottumwa Area Arts Council, so stop by and see us! We will have the American Gothic face cut-out for photo ops as well!

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

John Sharp and the CCC

2011-08-25T12:51:00.001-05:00

John Sharp was the native Eldon artist who so fortunately gave Grant Wood a tour of the town during his visit in 1930. Without John Sharp giving Grant Wood that tour one day after lunch he may have never seen this small white frame house with the beautiful gothic window. As John Sharp served such a simple, but very integral role in Grant Wood painting American Gothic, I thought I would share some current research on John Sharp’s life and art.

I recently met Kathleen Duxbury, who is studying artists involved in the CCC. What is the CCC you might ask? The CCC stands for the Civilian Conservation Corps, a program put forth by Franklin Delano Roosevelt as part of his New Deal programs. The CCC was established to help create jobs that would put young men to work in conserving the United States’ natural resources. You can learn more about the CCC program by visiting Kathleen’s website at this link: http://newdealblog.com/about-2/who-and-what-was-the-ccc-2

So how exactly does an artist fit into a group aimed at conservation? The government had created an art program called the Public Works of Art Program, which hired artists and sent some to depict life at CCC camps. John Sharp happened to be one of the artists hired to travel to CCC camps to draw and paint life in the camps. Several of his works now reside at the Eldon Carnegie Public Library, and two of his works are currently on display at the American Gothic House Center.

You can read more about John Sharp and his work in the CCC (as well as Kathleen’s account of her visit to Eldon!) on here blog at this link: http://newdealblog.com/archives/1336

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

AGHC on the Road and Antique Cars

2011-08-11T21:38:00.001-05:00

Saturday the American Gothic House Center made the trek to West Branch, Iowa to have a booth at Hoover’s Hometown Days. Though a bit warm, the weather was much better than it had been, which made for a great turnout at the festival!

My volunteer Ashlee, and myself, spoke to nearly 400 festival goers, most of who had not been to visit the American Gothic House Center. Visitors to the booth could get their picture taken in the face cutout and we also passed out flyers and coloring sheets to those who stopped by. We also had a board with pictures of people who have had their picture taken in front of the house so future visitors could get ideas for their visits! A “coloring station” was also set up where young visitors could stop and take a break to do some coloring!

Tomorrow the Cedar Rapids Antique Car Club will be touring the American Gothic House Center. Cars should begin arriving around 9:30 am, so be sure to stop by and visit the center and see some cool cars at the same time!

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

AGHC goes funky

2011-08-03T17:37:00.001-05:00

Last week the Ottumwa Chamber of Commerce hosted their 70th Annual Golf Classic. The American Gothic House Center was fortunate enough to share a booth at hole 13 with the Ottumwa Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Representatives from AGHC and the Ottumwa CVB braved the heat to meet with golfers as they stopped by the booth before teeing off. Since the golf outing was 70s-themed, the normal American Gothic fare came with some funky twists.

As golfers stopped by they were welcome to have their picture taken in the American Gothic face cut-out, which was decked out in 70s flare. Check out these pictures of some of the golfers.

Representatives at the booth wore overalls with tie-dye shirts, and the usual apron was adorned with some flashy chains and hair bands. Those who stopped by could learn more about the American Gothic House Center and events in the Ottumwa Area. The Ottumwa CVB created a list of 70 things to see and do in Wapello County. If you would like to have a list stop by the American Gothic House Center and pick one up!

In other news, KHQA Channel 7 in Quincy, Illinois recently did a story about the American Gothic House Center as part of their Points of Interest series! You can view the piece at the link below:

http://www.connecttristates.com/news/story.aspx?id=644280

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

American Gothic House in 3-D!

2011-07-21T16:27:00.001-05:00

AGHC received an email from Paul Anater of St. Petersburg, Florida about a three-dimensional model he created of the house for use in a presentation on kitchen cabinets. He sent the following email about his work:

“I was hired by Kraftmaid Cabinetry to deliver a presentation about using new software in my process as a designer. I had 25 minutes to fill and rather than bore people to death I wanted to tell a story about how I integrate new software into art. Because I'm a designer and my audience was also designers, I decided to recreate a 3-D model of the American Gothic house, position the finished model on the lot where the house actually sits using Google Earth and then I would draw a modern interior design of the house.

I detailed the specifics of my idea and my presentation on my blog here: http://www.kitchenandresidentialdesign.com/2010/04/american-gothic-explained-and-renovated.html

Google has since added my model to Google Earth and my replica of the house is the only three dimensional building in Eldon: http://www.kitchenandresidentialdesign.com/2010/05/american-gothic-house-is-now-on-google.html

So now with the help of Google Earth, the American Gothic house has a new life in the internet.”

Thank you to Paul for sharing his exciting work! The model is now available to view on the American Gothic House Center website on the Photo Gallery page. You can find it at this link: http://www.wapellocounty.org/americangothic/gallery/index.htm

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Conservation of Grant Wood's Spring Turning

2011-07-07T17:00:00.000-05:00

One of the things I enjoy most about meeting all of the visitors to the American Gothic House Center is what I can learn from them! Many people who visit come with great tidbits of information about a variety of topics pertaining to the house, American Gothic, or Grant Wood.

Last week a visitor told some of the volunteers about a presentation she had seen about the conservation of Grant Wood’s Spring Turning. The work is part of the collection at the Reynolda House Museum of American Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This week the visitor sent us a fantastic video created by the Reynolda House Museum about the conservation of the painting. The video also has great information on Grant Wood’s painting techniques and how these techniques affected the conservation of the work.

The video can be found at this link:

http://www.reynoldahouse.org/discover/collections/care.php

It is so wonderful to know that such great care is being taken to protect Grant Wood’s work!

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

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

Free from flooding and a new parody!

2011-06-23T16:01:00.001-05:00

Over the last week, the American Gothic House Center has received several inquiries about how the current flooding in Iowa may affect their travels to the center and through Iowa. For those not from the Iowa area who are interested in visiting I thought I would use today’s blog to provide some information to plan for your visit!

Most of the flooding currently in Iowa is very far away from your travels to AGHC! However, there are some routes into Iowa that are being affected by the flooding, including I-29, I-680, IA-2, and IA-333. But there are still many ways to come through Iowa so I hope the flooding doesn’t discourage anyone from visiting! If you would like to check for road closures (including closures due to construction) visit the Iowa Department of Transportation Traveler Information site here:

http://hb.511ia.org/main.jsf

Also, always feel free to call or email AGHC if you have questions before your visit!

Now, for a little bit of fun! Since I began my position at AGHC a few weeks ago, many friends and family members have been sending me American Gothic parody images they come across. Today I received one from a friend that just came out on the new cover of Entertainment Weekly, so I thought I’d share it.

It never ceases to amaze me how one picture can be referenced in so many ways!

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

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

American Gothic Days recap

2011-06-16T16:29:00.001-05:00

The weather made for an absolutely perfect weekend for Eldon’s American Gothic Days!

The weekend festivities began with a 5K Run/Walk on Saturday morning. With the beautiful weather came a large crowd of runners and walkers!

Saturday's attendance at AGHC was incredible! We had nearly 300 visitors to the center throughout the day. Many who stopped by were in town to attend the Eldon Alumni banquet so the chatter in the Center definitely resembled a class reunion. I met so many local area people I hadn't had the pleasure to meet yet during my first month, as well as people who grew up in the area and were visiting for American Gothic Days.

The Bike Ride started out the day on Sunday. Again, due to beautiful weather we had a great turnout! Everyone reported their 17 to 20 mile ride was enjoyable. Pizza, muffins and good conversation were shared after the ride.

The nearly 100 entries to our Art Contest were displayed during the weekend for visitors to see. Many visitors were amazed at the talent shown and enjoyed seeing all the artwork. Many of the works are still available for viewing at AGHC, so if you missed out stop by and see the many talented artists!

My first American Gothic Days weekend was very rewarding and I would like to thank all the volunteers, artists, runners/walkers, bike riders and visitors who made it possible. I'm already looking forward to next year!

For photos from the weekend visit our Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Gothic-House/80025816448

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

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

American Gothic Days have arrived!

2011-06-09T16:27:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow kicks off American Gothic Days in Eldon. My office is filled to the brim with supplies for all of the events this weekend! Yesterday was the deadline for submission into the Art Contest sponsored by the Gothic Area Tourism of Eldon (G.A.T.E.). We received nearly 100 entries from kindergarten students to adults!

I’ve enjoyed looking through all of the entries as they arrived. I’ve even recognized a few as they were drawn by students from Cardinal Elementary when they were here on their tours a few weeks ago. The judges for the Art Contest will be at AGHC this afternoon and evening reviewing the entires.

The works will be on display at the American Gothic House Center during our regular weekend hours (Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 1-4) so be sure to stop by and see them. I’m glad I’m not a judge…I think I would have a difficult time determining the winners!

Also, there is still time to register for the 5K Run/Walk on Saturday and Bike Ride on Sunday. You can register beforehand at AGHC or register on-site before each event.

Follow these links for more information:

http://www.wapellocounty.org/americangothic/events/5ksignup.htm

http://www.wapellocounty.org/americangothic/events/bike.htm

And don’t forget to check out all of the great events happening in Eldon as part of American Gothic Days! A full line-up can be found here:

http://www.wapellocounty.org/americangothic/events/gothicdays2011.html

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

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

Love is in the Air at AGHC

2011-06-02T17:11:00.003-05:00

The American Gothic House Center was bustling over Memorial Day Weekend with hundreds of visitors stopping by. On Monday, however, there were two special visitors…there was a proposal at our very own Gothic House! Samantha, the bride-to-be, sent a wonderful email the day after the proposal detailing the story:

Our first date/motorcycle ride had included a trip to the American Gothic House. Adam was amazed I had never been there (I'm certified to teach art) and thought it would be great to take me. Unfortunately on our first visit the AGHC was closed. I made the comment we would have to come back sometime because I really wanted to go inside.

On Monday, May 30, 2011, we decided the weather was too nice not to take another motorcycle ride. He wouldn't tell me where we were going, although it soon became very obvious we were coming back to the American Gothic House. We walked through the AGHC and watched another group dress up for pictures. I noticed a sign for pie, so we wandered toward the house to see what was available. Beth Howard had just pulled a mini strawberry pie from the oven at her Pitchfork Pie Stand. We thought it sounded too good to pass up and shared the mini pie out in front of the house at the picnic tables.

When we finished Adam told me he was going to find a garbage can, but I now know he was going to inform the volunteers of what he was planning to do. He said we needed to go in through the front and that we should dress up for a picture. I of course said sure.

The volunteers helped us find the perfect fit and helped us practice our pose. Then they took us outside and we posed for our pictures and got it just right. Then she asked if we wanted to do a silly picture. Before I could respond, Adam said "Yes, I have something silly I want to do," as he handed me the pitchfork and got down on one knee. He pulled out the ring and asked me to marry him right where we stood on our first date. Of course I said YES and kissed him right then and there. I didn't realize but the volunteers all knew and had a group watching and cheering for us and they took pictures for us to remember our special day.

I really do appreciate all that your volunteers did to help out with our special day. Please let me know if there is anything else you would like to know! I am sure we will be back for our engagement pictures! We have set the date as October 20, 2012.

Thank you,

Samantha and Adam

Congratulations to Samantha and Adam from the American Gothic House Center!

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

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

Field Trip Fun!

2011-05-26T16:49:00.002-05:00

It has been busy at the American Gothic House Center! Every day this week AGHC hosted young visitors from a local school. It is great to see young people so interested in the work of Grant Wood! All of the students were given a tour of the exhibits and walked around the house to learn about the architecture. The younger students colored pictures of the house and of American Gothic. The older students sketched the house on scraps of brown paper to imitate the way Grant Wood sketched the house on the back of an envelope.

Here is a photograph of some of the students doing their sketches:

Though the field trips went well, the ever-changing Spring weather of Iowa proved challenging! Whether it be the rain, too hot, or too cold each day went from one extreme to the next!

AGHC has also been busy preparing for American Gothic Days on June 10-12th. Be sure to register for the 5K and Bike Ride by Wednesday, June 1st for a discount on registration. Follow these links for more information.

5K Run/Walk

Bike Ride

Finally, as Memorial Day weekend approaches, I want to inform potential visitors that we WILL be open on Memorial Day! Two of our volunteers have offered to keep AGHC open on Memorial Day from 1pm-4pm so travelers making their way through the area on the holiday weekend can have the opportunity to visit!

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Week One!

2011-05-19T17:12:00.005-05:00

My first week as Administrator at the American Gothic House Center has been fantastic. The people in Eldon and the surrounding community have been so friendly and welcoming. I was a bit worried at first about quickly moving to a new area and starting a new position, but my fears have been swept away by everyone's hospitable nature.

I have been following AGHC since before I began working here and have seen all of the great things Molly Moser, the previous Administrator, has done! I want to maintain the great momentum Molly had at AGHC and continue her work, as well as create new ways to enhance AGHC!

Though I know I will continue to have questions for Molly, the wonderful volunteer staff at the AGHC have been an immense help in orienting me in my new position. It was apparent from day one that the volunteers are an integral part of making the AGHC operate smoothly!

I have also loved meeting all of the visitors to the AGHC this week. It is so amazing to meet people from all over the country who have come just to see the American Gothic House. I even got to take a picture of a rabbit (and its owners) in front of the house. I am excited to know that every day at the AGHC will bring new faces and experiences...and probably new stories as well!

American Gothic Days June 10-12:

American Gothic Days in Eldon is quickly approaching! AGHC will be hosting an 5K Run/Walk, Bike Ride, and Art Contest. Follow these links for more information and a registration form.

5K Run/Walk

Bike Ride

Art Contest

There are also many other activities going on in Eldon during American Gothic Days so be sure to make a weekend of it! A full list of events can be found here.

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Introducing Our New Administrator!

2011-05-12T11:27:00.000-05:00

This week I've been working with our incoming administrator, Holly Berg, to prepare her for all the exciting activites her new job entails. Holly has a Master's degree in Geoscience from the University of Iowa and is finishing a Master's in Museum Studies at Western Illinois University in Davenport. Holly has worked for the Museum of Natural History in Iowa City for several years, helping with public relations, education and outreach, design, and lots more. Her work experience in addition to her education makes her very well-rounded and a great fit for the position!

I feel confident in passing the role of administrator to Holly (and not just because she's a fellow Hawkeye). She has a long list of great ideas for adding educational programs and improving marketing strategies, and she recognizes the parts of the Center that already run well. I know her passion and energy will take the American Gothic House Center to new levels of success, and I am excited about the future that lies ahead with Holly as administrator!

Please don't forget about the entertaining presentation this evening! Learn more about Midwestern traditions tonight at a presentation given by UNI professor Barbara Lounsberry. Professor Lounsberry is particularly interested in Midwestern life and literature. Born and raised in Iowa, she believes Iowa culture, like its soil, is incredibly rich.

Yup…Nope…And Why Midwesterners Don’t Say Much

Thursday, May 12, 7 pm

Eldon Library Hall, 606 W. Elm St.

As one Midwesterner deadpanned on return from the East, “We think we are being polite; they think we are slow-witted.” Midwestern reserve is considered a virtue, and the strong, silent type is often honored and respected. This entertaining slide presentation explores the historical roots of Midwestern reserve along with contemporary illustrations. Funding for this presentation was provided by Humanities Iowa, a private, non-profit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. A cultural resource for Iowans since 1971, Humanities Iowa offers many cultural and historical programs and grants to Iowa’s communities. I hope to see you at this event! Refreshments will be provided.

I appreciate your support of the American Gothic House Center and am sure you will continue to enjoy what lies ahead. As always, thank you for reading!

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Wildflowers, Pie and a Presentation

2011-05-05T13:06:00.000-05:00

As the weather warms, the prairie flowers at the American Gothic House Center are growing green—and some are even blooming! If you want to see more wildflowers, you can join in the guided evening flower hike at Garrison Rock tonight at 5:30. The hike through this historic wooded area is moderate to easy, and you’ll get to stop at Horse Thief Cave! Bring your camera or binoculars if you like, and meet in the Garrison Rock parking lot off of Cliffland Road. No reservations necessary!

This year, warmer weather also means pie! Author and baker Beth Howard makes mouthwatering pies inside her home, the American Gothic House. Beth’s Pitchfork Pie Stand officially opens for the season on Friday, May 20. On summer weekends, American Gothic House Center visitors can purchase a warm cup of coffee and pie by the slice or as a whole. If you’re planning a large group visit, please call ahead to schedule a tour of the Center and to order your pie from Beth. She can be contacted through her website, www.theworldneedsmorepie.com.

Beth is currently working on a memoir to be published in April of 2012. My phone hasn’t stopped ringing since she was featured in last month’s issue of Midwest Living. The callers want to sample Beth’s baking and are intrigued by the novelty of combining two American icons—apple pie and the American Gothic House. You can read a bit about her mission to “cheer up the world, one pie at a time” online, but you’ll have to find a copy of Midwest Living to read the whole piece.

Learn more about Midwestern traditions and culture next Thursday, May 12 at a presentation given by UNI professor Barbara Lounsberry. Professor Lounsberry is particularly interested in Midwestern life and literature. Born and raised in Iowa, she believes Iowa culture, like its soil, is incredibly rich.

Yup…Nope…And Why Midwesterners Don’t Say Much

Thursday, May 12, 7 pm

Eldon Library Hall, 606 W. Elm St.

As one Midwesterner deadpanned on return from the East, “We think we are being polite; they think we are slow-witted.” Midwestern reserve is considered a virtue, and the strong, silent type is often honored and respected. This entertaining slide presentation explores the historical roots of Midwestern reserve along with contemporary illustrations. Funding for this presentation was provided by Humanities Iowa, a private, non-profit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. A cultural resource for Iowans since 1971, Humanities Iowa offers many cultural and historical programs and grants to Iowa’s communities. My time as administrator of the American Gothic House Center is growing short, so I hope to see you at this event next Thursday! Refreshments will be provided.

One last thing I want to mention which has been in the news lately—Grant Wood will be recognized in a new rest area being built on interstate 380, south of Cedar Rapids! The new rest area, scheduled to open in about a year, will feature a freestanding Gothic window structure in honor of American Gothic.

Thanks for reading!

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Vacation in Southeast Iowa!

2011-04-28T10:56:00.000-05:00

Thinking about what to do once school lets out and summer beckons? Interested in arts, culture and history? Below are links to some attractions in Southeast Iowa and events happening in the area in the coming months.

Eldon

5 Reasons to Visit the American Gothic House this Summer

•Admission is free! Bring your family, grab one of our pitchforks, dress up and get your photo taken in front of the iconic American Gothic House!

•Check out the new Nan Wood Graham exhibit, featuring an original painting by the female model in American Gothic—who was also Grant Wood’s sister!

•See what Iowa landscapes used to look like with our native prairie flower garden, and take a walk or bike ride down the paved trail that begins in our back yard.

•Eat a delicious slice of apple pie baked inside the American Gothic House! Author and baker Beth Howard runs the Pitchfork Pie Stand during summer months. Find out more about Beth at her website,www.theworldneedsmorepie.com

•Shop for one-of-a-kind American Gothic House items in our gift shop.

Carnegie Library Eldon’s Carnegie Library holds books and unique artwork. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Rock Island Railroad Depot Visit the restored depot to learn about Eldon’s rich history as a railroad town.

Gothic Days June 10-12. Join us on the forty first annual Gothic Days weekend for a bike ride, 5K, art contest, bake sale, craft and book sale, supper and music in the park, games, and more!

Other Eldon Attractions Eldon is sure to captivate you with its small town charm as you visit its many historic sites.

Ottumwa: The Bridge City

Interested in seeing more art on your trip to the American Gothic House Center? Visit Ottumwa!

Indian Hills Community College Art Gallery

M&J Art and Frame Gallery

Ottumwa Area Arts Council: Sculpture Trail

See a show at Ottumwa’s Bridge View Center

Wapello County Historical Museum

Ottumwa events: O-Town BBQ, lunch and movies in the park, pro balloon races, golf tournament, Friday evening concert series, and more!

There is lots to see and do in Wapello County!

Get outside and enjoy the warmth!

Pioneer Ridge Nature Center Visit this two story nature center for camping and fun family events like night time hikes, a ropes course, and kite flying.

Walk, run, or bike the trails in

Wapello County

Jefferson County

Fairfield: If you’re passing through Jefferson County on your way to the American Gothic House Center, check out Fairfield's art galleries, farmer’s markets and art walks on the first Friday of each month, and the shows at the Sondheim Center

While winding your way through Southeast Iowa, don’t miss the Villages of Van Buren! Van Buren County is just a short drive from Eldon and is full of unique shops, parks and outdoor recreation, and historic sites for those looking for a trip with historical emphasis.

More tourism resources:

Central Iowa Tourism Region

Travel Iowa

So you see, there are plenty of attractions and events to keep you busy on your trip to Southeast Iowa this summer. We look forward to seeing you!

Exciting Updates!

2011-04-21T11:02:00.000-05:00

Lots of exciting news updates this week!

1. The Grant Wood Bus Trip was quite an enjoyable day thanks to our tour guides at the Figge Art Museum and the University of Iowa Museum of Art, and to Jim Hayes, who generously opened his home (formerly Grant Wood’s) to our group for a wonderful tour.

The ride to Davenport was comfortable in a Burlington Trailways coach. We were able to reach the Figge despite rising water on both sides of the road and some minor detours. When we arrived we split into two groups and toured three of the museum’s collections. The John Deere Collection was accumulated by Deere to educate employees about art from the countries the company does business with. Some pieces were also advertisements for Deere’s equipment. The Regionalist Collection, as you might imagine, held works by Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton, Marvin Cone, and similar artists. Among the paintings we saw were Wood’s Self Portrait, Return from Bohemia, andThe Spotted Man. Finally, we toured two railroad photography exhibitions: Tracks: The Railroad in Photographs from the George Eastman House Collection, and Crossing the Mississippi: The Quad Cities, the Railroad and Art.

At the University of Iowa Museum of Art, the group again split in half and saw a section of the University’s collection of African art, ceramic art, and some controversial pieces like the Gap bag by Jonathan Seliger. Favorites were, of course, Wood’s painting Plaid Sweater, and Jules Kirschenbaum’s Spanish Poet.

We then made our way to Iowa City, where we toured 1142 East Court Street. Jim Hayes, current owner, has preserved much of the reconstruction work Wood did when he lived in the house. Check out photos from our tour of Mr. Hayes’ home, also known as the Oakes-Wood House. This tour was a great way to finish out our day!

2. Our web store is officially up and running! This means you can now purchase many of the items found in our gift shop online. The finalization of the web store was helped along by a much appreciated grant from the Wapello County Foundation. Mother’s Day is coming up in just a couple of weeks, and our web store has tons of gift ideas from mugs and magnets to books and prints. Start shopping now!

3. I have thoroughly enjoyed my job as administrator at the American Gothic House Center. Talking with visitors, working in the garden, designing the new exhibit and writing this newsletter are among my favorite parts of the job. However, as those who attended the spring sale and art show inside the American Gothic House know, my first love is painting. With sadness but excitement, I have decided to leave my position here to pursue my M.F.A.

Grant Wood painted the landscape and culture of our state. He founded Regionalism based on the philosophy that he would do what he did best, focusing on what he understood and loved most. I am right there with him! I've learned a lot and had many unique opportunities and experiences as administrator of the Center, and I hold them dearly as I move forward with my painting career. I will continue to write the newsletter for the next few weeks as the search for a new administrator is conducted.

If you are interested in applying for the administrator position, please do so by Wednesday, April 27. View a job description here.

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

American Gothic House Appears in Multiple Paintings

2011-04-14T12:11:00.003-05:00

Grant Wood sketched the American Gothic House in 1930, and we all know the story that followed. The house is one of the most recognizable houses in America and is by far the most well-known of any house Wood painted. Still, it is one building among many in Wood’s large body of work. Birthplace of Herbert Hoover, Arbor Day, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, Stone City and Parson Weems' Fable all include architecture. But variations of the American Gothic House appear repeatedly, and not just throughout the numerous American Gothicparodies.

In 1931 Wood painted Appraisal, an artwork whose main characters are a chicken and two women from different backgrounds. Much has been said about this image—some have pointed out that the woman in the fur coat has a facial profile closely resembling the chicken’s, others have drawn conclusions about why the chicken has the fanciest coat of the three. I would like to direct your attention to the background, where Wood has placed a familiar front porch on a simple white house. Based on Wood’s sketch of the house (click the images to enlarge them), it’s hard to say what color the front screen door was when he visited Eldon in 1930. Older photographs of the house do show its door painted the same color as the one in Appraisal. Probably just a coincidence, but interesting nonetheless.

Nine years after he painted American Gothic and just three years before his death, Grant Wood again referred to the house in Eldon. Fertility, a lithograph, contains an almost exact recreation of the American Gothic House. The small home is painted white and has a simple front porch and a peaked roof with a Gothic window.

Wood’s 1942 painting Spring in Town depicts all the activities of preparation for warmer months. Tilling the garden, giving the winter blankets a wash, and trimming trees take place in the foreground. The shape of the central green house, based on an Iowa City home, echoes the shape of the American Gothic House. An even more striking similarity sits just beyond. Two men work hard in the yard of another little white house with a front porch.

Wood's style used repeating patterns, shapes, and objects. The brooch worn by his sister Nan in American Gothic and his mother Hattie inWoman with Plants actually belonged to his mother, a souvenir from Grant's travels. It follows that the American Gothic House, referenced again and again in his paintings, held some kind of important meaning for Wood.

The rural Anamosa home where the Wood children were born was destroyed by a fire in 1974. I was able to find one photograph of the house (not an online version, unfortunately), and sure enough, I saw a white home with a front porch. Although much larger than the house in Eldon, Wood's childhood home has a tall square window as the centerpiece in a peaked roof above the porch.

I don't like to assume I understand any artist's intentions. Maybe Wood was remembering his birthplace, maybe he was paying tribute to the house that helped launch his career, or maybe it was just a common style of building. Whatever the case, the little house in Eldon continues to prove its significance not only to Wood but to all who visit it, live in it and near it, and care for it.

1142 E. Court Street

2011-04-07T10:03:00.001-05:00

Grant Wood affectionately called his Iowa City home 1142, for its location at 1142 E. Court Street. Wood moved in to 1142 in 1935 and began teaching at the University of Iowa. During the next two years, Wood made the house his home by remodeling, just as he had in his studio at Turner Alley. He designed his own furniture, returned the building’s shutters to their proper place around the windows (He found them in the backyard, functioning collectively as a chicken coop.), and changed the landscaping. Wood’s studio, reminiscent of his Cedar Rapids days, was located in the carriage house.

Like the American Gothic House, 1142 is not open to the public. It has been preserved in a different way. Not stagnated by unchanging recreations of life from another time, not restricted by roped off doorways, not made stale with limited seasonal hours and a lack of human presence like many historic buildings. The house at 1142, like the American Gothic House, has continued to evolve and grow richer in its history over the years—because it’s being lived in.

The house has been occupied by lawyer and art collector James Hayes since he purchased it in 1975. Prior to buying 1142, Hayes rented the carriage house where Wood kept his studio. In 1978 the house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and author Richard King published a book detailing the building’s history in 2008.

This video from the archives of the Daily Iowan depicts the outside of 1142 and gives a little history of the house and its architecture.

If this beautiful historic house is privately owned, how can one get beyond the picket fence? It just so happens that this year’s American Gothic House Center bus trip includes a rare tour of 1142!

It’s not too late to sign up! Click here for information on the day’s itinerary, meals, and ticket prices.

Kids enjoy a tour of AGHC!

2011-03-31T10:17:00.001-05:00

Last week the American Gothic House Center gave tours to Eldon’s Living Hope Preschool. On Thursday morning, 18 three-year-olds quietly entered the building in two straight lines and sat down on the floor, anxious to learn about, well… pretty much anything. They were like little sponges, absorbing facts about Grant Wood, the American Gothic House, and the famous painting. With just a slight prompt throughout the morning, they would excitedly repeat these facts in answer to my questions.

After pointing out the painting’s repeated shapes (CIRCLES!! STRAIGHT LINES! DIAMONDS!!), establishing the characters (My dad is a farmer! My mom is a farmer, too!), and talking about how great it is that a famous artist like Grant Wood visited their town and made a painting of the house here, the kids patiently sat through an animated film. Then, they got to make their own art.

Given one or two crayons and a line drawing of the American Gothic House, the three-year-olds proceeded to color. Some were meticulously staying inside every line, holding crayons tightly between tiny fingers and pressing hard so the wax shone on the paper. Others took a more abstract approach, loosely scrawling across the page without concern for the house shape below. The artist in me couldn’t help but wonder how growing up exposed to an art icon such as the American Gothic House will affect these mini-humans. With teachers like those at Living Hope, prompting the kids to come back with their families and getting excited along with their students, I expect at least a few artists in the bunch.

Some interesting articles came up this week and last about kids and their artistic pursuits. A story in the Daily Nonpareil Online describes students in Council Bluffs, home of a Wood mural, studying Grant Wood. An exhibition spotlighting children’s art in Mason City, as reported by the Globe Gazette, featured a parody of American Gothic. Ever heard anyone describe an abstract painting with the phrase “My child could have done this.”? Take a look at this study comparing children’s art to the art of famous abstract painters—the results may surprise you!

Grant Wood was an artist from early childhood, and his sister Nan was, too. As you’ll find out when you visit our new exhibit, Nan Wood Graham: Beyond the Farmer’s Daughter, when Nan was a girl she won an art contest and received a small cook stove for a prize. Young Nan's classic childlike enthusiasm caused her to faint from the thrill of winning! I'd bet that she and Grant would be equally thrilled at the enthusiasm kids today are showing for American Gothic.

I hope to see you tomorrow night (6-7pm) at the exhibit premier!

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Only a couple of weeks left to sign up for the American Gothic House Center’s annual bus trip to discover Grant Wood country! You can view a detailed itinerary of the trip on our website. The itinerary has links to all the collections we’ll be visiting. Call me at 641.652.3352, or respond to this email to e collections we’ll be visiting. Call me at 641.652.3352, or respond to this email to reserve your seat!

Exhibit Opening!

2011-03-24T11:25:00.001-05:00

Good morning! I’m happy to report last Saturday’s spring sale and art & poetry exhibition inside the American Gothic House carried our visitor count over 100 for the day. That is our highest daily attendance so far this year--a great jump start to the new season!

Our next event is the opening of this year’s exhibit, Nan Wood Graham: Beyond the Farmer’s Daughter. The exhibition brings deserved focus to the life of American Gothic’s female model, Grant Wood’s sister and fellow artist Nan Wood Graham. The new display features an interactive audio component and Nan Wood Graham’s only original oil painting, on loan from the State Historical Society of Iowa.

Nan was a loyal advocate for her brother Grant, protecting his public image after his death by screening his would-be biographers, attending art openings in his honor, and keeping a watchful eye on the multitude of American Gothic parodies. She eventually wrote and published a biography of her brother titled My Brother, Grant Wood. Nan’s insights into the childhood and artistic process of Iowa’s beloved artist provide a unique look at the artist—closer than we can normally come when studying art history.

Though Nan Wood Graham is most well-known for her role in American Gothic , she led a full and exciting life of her own. Nan’s aunt once told her, “One artist in the family is enough.” Nan did not pursue a career as an artist, but continued to study art and practice creative hobbies. While recovering from tuberculosis in Oakdale Sanitarium, Nan learned leather tooling and later won prizes for her talents. Grant even invited her to teach at his artist colony in Stone City. Nan mastered the difficult technique of reverse painting on glass, and her glass paintings were exhibited in New York. She made one oil painting, Boarding House Bath. The painting was likely inspired by the astounding characters Nan and her husband Ed lived with in various rooming houses around California.

Nan’s personality and delightful sense of humor shine brilliantly in an audio interview from the 1970s. Clips of this interview are available at the touch of a button in new exhibit. While reading through exhibit text, visitors will find reference to audio clips where they can listen to Nan tell more about the topic.

Nan Wood Graham visited Eldon on several occasions and was an honored guest at the city’s annual Gothic Days celebration. Many locals met Nan during her lifetime, exchanged letters and gifts, and have photographs of her in their personal albums. A few of these items, as well as correspondence with Nan, will be on display.

I invite you to join us for the premier of this interactive new exhibit! Enjoy refreshments and conversation with other Wood enthusiasts at the opening on Friday, April 1 from 6-7 pm. Hope to see you there!

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Don’t forget to sign up for the American Gothic House Center’s annual bus trip to discover Grant Wood country! You can view a detailed itinerary of the trip on our website. The itinerary has links to all the collections we’ll be visiting. Call me at 641.652.3352, or respond to this email to e collections we’ll be visiting. Call me at 641.652.3352, or respond to this email to reserve your seat!

An Eldon Artist?

2011-03-17T13:19:00.001-05:00

As I continue researching connections between Grant Wood and today’s artists, I come across more and more notable artists with ties specifically to southeast Iowa and Eldon. A few weeks ago one community member brought to my attention a painter named John Mulvany.

John Mulvany was born in Ireland in the1840s and moved to the US with his family during the following decade. His history is not well documented (most sources even disagree about his birth year, which doesn’t bode well for information about the life that followed), so I’ve pieced together what I can from correspondence, newspaper clippings, and online resources.

Mulvany studied at the Academy of Munich and returned to the US to begin his career as an artist. He progressed to painting what was considered the highest level of subject matter, historical group portraiture. Mulvany traveled and lived around the Midwest. Much of his work depicted scenes from the Civil War and from Irish history. Mulvany’s most famous painting is Custer’s Last Rally, completed in 1981 at an astonishing size—11 x 20 feet! In order to accurately depict the scene, the artist spent two years painting and researching at the battlefield and on Souix reservations. See a lithograph of the painting here (click on the image to enlarge it for a better view).

John Mulvany’s ancestors, also originally from Ireland, kept a saloon in Eldon until the Temperance Movement. Some family members lived in Ottumwa. His painting titled Trial of a Horse Thief is of particular interest to those living in our area. The preliminary painting is owned by the Szymanski Gallery in Pasadena, California. A booklet describing the piece was printed by the gallery in 1978 and named each of the characters in the painting. Mulvany did not make up this dramatic scene—he painted a specific trial at a specific location, including portraits of key personalities. According to the gallery, the trial took place in Kansas.

Despite the gallery’s confidence in naming the characters in the artwork, the Kansas State Historical Society is unable to verify the information in the booklet. Correspondence in 1987 between AGHC contributor Helen Glasson and Anne Weber-Scobie, a descendant of John Mulvany, suggests the trial may have taken place in Iowa. Mulvany's connections here, maybe the trial even took place in Eldon! (Take a second look at the painting—recognize anyone you know?) Weber-Scobie is an artist with an interest in family history. And why not, with relatives like the successful John Mulvany?

I hope to see you this weekend at the American Gothic House Center’s spring sale (most items 10% off, some up to 50% off!) and at the art and poetry exhibition inside the American Gothic House!

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Spring, is that you?

2011-03-10T11:53:00.001-06:00

Visitor numbers are on the rise again, and it appears that the cold may finally be loosening its grip on us! I’d like to recap the big events that took place in the quiet months of winter and remind you of what spring has in store for the American Gothic House Center.

With the help of many wonderful volunteers, we were able to make some cosmetic and organizational improvements at the Center. We’ve been taking inventory of our collection. We'll be able to use our objects more effectively by rotating what's exhibited in our display cases. This process consists of photographing, numbering and organizing all the objects in our collection, and entering information about each into a database.

Matching hangers have unified the appearance of our costume rack, and a new panel above the rack shows visitors how to set up their own parody photo. A grant from the Central Iowa Tourism Region helped fund this new panel. Check it out on facebook!

We are grateful to the Wapello County Foundation for a grant which will provide us with a point-of-sale system for the gift shop, simplifying check out for volunteers and customers. The new system will make reporting about gift shop inventory and sales much simpler and will be synchronized with our soon-to-be launched online shop.

As you know from last week’s newsletter, we also received a grant from the Iowa Cultural Trust to begin establishing an endowment fund for the Center. 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. There is a link to donate below for your convenience. (It works this time, I promise.)

This winter, the American Gothic House Center hosted several successful events. In December we had a gingerbread house decorating activity for area kids. We also participated in the Tour of Homes, a traditional event in Eldon in which several homes and businesses are chosen to be decorated and open for tours. Last month we had our annual Grant Wood Birthday Soup Smorgasboard, which fed about 75 people. Thank you again to all who help make our events a success!

The next event on our calendar is the spring cleaning sale on Saturday, March 19. All non-consignment items will be 10% off, with select items up to 50% off. Don’t miss the great deals that only come around once a year!

Those who visit between 1 and 5 on the 19th are invited to attend an art exhibition inside the American Gothic House. Priscilla Coffman, a motivated volunteer and board member, will have poetry on view on the second floor of the house. When I'm not writing newsletters or weeding the Center's flowerbeds, I am using a paintbrush. Lots of my artwork will be hanging in the house on the 19th. All are welcome to join us for the sale and exhibition that day!

Other upcoming events include our new exhibit opening at the Center on April 1 (More news about this very exciting exhibit will come next week!) and our annual bus trip on April 16. And it’s not too soon to start thinking about Gothic Days in June! Get sign-up information for our5K, bike ride, and art contest on our website!

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Help us reach our goal!

2011-03-03T10:09:00.004-06:00

Dear Readers,

Each week, I enjoy learning about Grant Wood and passing my discoveries on to you. I have received many personal responses to these weekly updates over the past few months, and I appreciate the investment of your time and energy in reading my messages and replying. Many of you are Eldon residents who support and volunteer at the Center. Some readers are past visitors, Grant Wood enthusiasts, or those who simply take an interest in art, history, and the world around them.

The American Gothic House Center is a permanent resource for art and cultural education. Our mission is to integrate the puzzle pieces of American Gothic by linking the house that inspired the painting to the impact of American Gothic and Grant Wood on American art. Those of you following this newsletter have seen the far-reaching effects of Wood, from teaching popular artist Isabel Bloom to leading a movement which gave us great American artists like Andrew Wyeth and Norman Rockwell.

Over the past three years, the American Gothic House Center has attracted travelers and educational institutions from Iowa and Missouri. In all, the Center has hosted nearly 35,000 people from all 50 states and 41 foreign countries. Annual visitor numbers are steadily rising, showing that our mission envelops a treasured part of history. The Center organizes bus tours, lectures, children’s events and school tours, teaching appreciation of precious Midwest cultural heritage to a variety of audiences.

The American Gothic House Center strives to become financially independent through gift shop revenue, sponsorships, and by establishing an endowment fund. We are the grateful recipient of an Iowa Cultural Trust Endowment Challenge Grant, which will match funds we raise to help start an endowment. 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. If you would like, you can use the donate button on our website to give your tax deductible gift.

The endowment campaign is the beginning of an ongoing drive to ensure the long term sustainability of the American Gothic House Center. 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. An endowment is a permanent, persistent resource which provides funding to expand during successful years and offers security in challenging times. Establishing an endowment to assist with operating expenses is the responsibility of any responsible nonprofit organization. With your support the American Gothic House Center can continue to attract visitors and provide education for many years to come!

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Grant Wood's Main Street

2011-02-17T14:07:00.001-06:00

Thank you to all the soup cooks, cake bakers, door prize donors, event workers and American Gothic House Center supporters who contributed to the success of Grant Wood’s Birthday Soup Smorgasboard! We fed about 75 and all donated generously. Your support is greatly appreciated!

I have often felt the loyalty and commitment of the surrounding community to the American Gothic House Center. It extends throughout the City of Eldon, whose residents are working to restore many historic landmarks and better their community by lending a hand whenever it’s needed. There is a certain wonderful quality in small towns; you receive smiles from strangers who know your face, and the mayor helps her city crew shovel the sidewalks of main street.

In 1920, a book called Main Street was published by Lakeside Press. Sinclair Lewis told the story of the characters of Gopher Prairie, a small town in Minnesota. The main character moves to Gopher Prairie from a large city and adjusts to life there. Grant Wood illustrated the book with nine full-page drawings done from 1935 – 1937. Two of the drawings depicted locations, and seven described character figures.

The seven character sketches, a group of four men and three women, summarized and satirized some of the personalities from the story. All but one are classic waist-up portraits, with titles to clarify the carefully drawn expressions on each face.

There is The Good Influence, a primly smiling woman dressed in a black collared dress and hat. She stands in front of a church, removing one black glove to expose a simple gold band around the third finger of her left hand. The Perfectionist regards the viewer from the sides of her eyes, hand on chin, thoughtfully sizing us up and deciding how to fix us. The third woman, the Practical Idealist, is captured mid-sentence—no doubt animatedly conversing about her latest project. She wears a sensible white button-up blouse with a black sweater, and is seated in front of subtle yet stylish floral wallpaper.

In General Practioner, Wood shows the gentle hands of a doctor checking his patient’s pulse. The worn blue quilt covering the patient tells us the local doctor is making a house call. Booster, a man in a yellow pin-striped suit and tie, waves his finger from behind a podium. His moose pin and stamped gold ring certainly declare his allegiance to important organizations. Behind him, an American flag stands as a reminder that this character could be found in any small town’s meeting room.

Another character in a yellow suit, this one with a bowtie, sniffs an elegant flower while staring toward the sky over the gold rims of his round glasses. He is the Sentimental Yearner, visions of yester-year visible behind his eyes. The last face is the face of The Radical. He glares suspiciously from beneath a corduroy cap. The ends of his moustache curl up mischievously, and he keeps a firm grip on the wooden handled tool he holds. Behind him are hammers, saws, and rulers—perhaps the tools of an artist?

The drawings were done on brown paper in pencil, charcoal, crayon and gouache (similar to watercolor). Grant Wood signed each of the 1500 books in the original print run.

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

February: Not just for celebrating love!

2011-02-10T10:36:00.000-06:00

Here comes February 14! Before you stop reading because you think this is yet another Valentine’s Day spiel, let me explain why I’m mentioning the date. Twenty years ago, on the 14th day of February, the American Gothic House was donated to the State Historical Society of Iowa.

The house had belonged to the Smith family since 1942. The Smiths purchased it from a family named Howard—interesting, as current tenant Beth Howard was born just a few miles away in Ottumwa.

Carl E. Smith donated the house. He must have been a romantic. Who wouldn’t appreciate the gift of a historic landmark on the traditional day of love? The State Historical Society quickly began renovations on the house to preserve its 1930s appearance, and the rest is history!

The planets must be aligned in some fancy cosmic way, because this year also marks the 130th birthday of the American Gothic House and the 120th anniversary of Grant Wood’s birth.

This Saturday, February 12, join the American Gothic House Center as we celebrate all these important dates. Enjoy delicious home-cooked soup with a side of fresh bread and crisp veggies. Soups straight from Eldon’s finest kitchens will include split pea, chili, chicken veggie, chicken with wild rice, broccoli cheese, potato and vegetable beef. Complete the meal and the celebration with a slice of birthday cake or a brownie and a mug of hot coffee.

Freewill donations are welcome. The event takes place from 11 am – 1 pm at the Eldon KD Center. Hope to see you there!

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Escape February with Hot Soup!

2011-02-03T12:23:00.000-06:00

Good afternoon! Are you still there, beneath all this snow? I hope you’re reading from under a cozy blanket with a steaming mug of coffee in your hands. Or a bowl of hot homemade soup, or even a slice of warm birthday cake—Hey, you can find all that at the Grant Wood Birthday Soup Smorgasboard!

Next Saturday, February 12, join the American Gothic House Center as we celebrate the 120th anniversary of Grant Wood’s birth. Enjoy delicious home-cooked soup with a side of fresh bread and crisp veggies. Soups straight from the kitchens of delightful AGHC volunteers will include chili, chicken veggie, chicken with wild rice, broccoli cheese, potato and vegetable beef. Complete the meal and the celebration with a slice of birthday cake or a brownie and a mug of hot coffee.

Bring a friend or find one in a room full of company! Freewill donations are welcome. The event will happen over lunch, from 11 am – 1 pm at the Eldon KD Center.

The view from my window is brilliantly white, because the sun is shining! The driveway is plowed and sidewalks snow-blown (thank you to everyone who helped with that), giving visitors a clear path to our front door. Our feathered friends can now hop around on the thick layer of snow and peck at aster seeds, whose long stems are suddenly beak-height. There’s a bird today I haven’t seen before, with charcoal feathers and a white belly. He was a little camera-shy, but I did get a few photos.

Wintery as it is, birds and seeds make me dream of spring. This spring brings a new set of exciting stops on our annual tour of Grant Wood Country!

On Saturday, April 16, you can climb aboard a charter bus and travel with us to Davenport and Iowa City. The Figge Art Museum is our first stop. We’ll look at Regionalist artwork and a railroad photography exhibit. Next, we tour the University of Iowa Museum of Art in Iowa City, home of Grant Wood’s painting Plaid Sweater.

Grant Wood lived in Iowa City from 1935-1942. His home at 1142 E. Court Street is now owned and occupied by James Hayes, who has generously agreed to give us a guided tour. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to visit the beautiful house!

We’ll finish out the entertaining day with a buffet-style meal before heading home. You can view a detailed itinerary on our website. The itinerary has links to all the collections we’ll be visiting. Call me at 641.652.3352, or respond to this email to sign up!

On the Web: Eldon Artist George Shane

2011-01-27T10:42:00.000-06:00

Last week we learned about Ottumwa artists who studied with Grant Wood at the Stone City Art Colony. I received many responses from readers, and one introduced me to an artist from Eldon.

George Walker Shane was born in Eldon in 1906. As a journalist for the Des Moines Register, Shane often wrote about art. His combined interests in art and writing allowed him to travel to Venice and Mexico, sending articles back to be printed in the Register.

Shane was an involved member of the arts community in Des Moines. In 1951, Shane had a solo exhibition at the Des Moines Art Center. This activity and his career as a journalist introduced him to some very famous artists, including Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali, pictured with Shane on a visit to Iowa in 1952.

As with many of the artists we’ve covered, George Shane’s paintings were realistic and featured his immediate surroundings. He was interested in small town Iowa, depicting scenes of town squares and courthouses. Century farms were his main focus, and these paintings were very popular with Iowans. Again he was able to combine his interests in writing and art by researching the histories of the farms he painted. His series on hundred-year-old farms was printed in the Sunday Register, each painting accompanied by an historical article.

Thank you to the reader who alerted me to George Shane’s work. Keep the comments coming!

On the Web: Ottumwa Artists at Stone City

2011-01-20T13:28:00.000-06:00

With the recent re-launch of Mount Mercy University’s Stone City Art Colony research website (what a great resource!), I’ve discovered additional interesting students who studied under Grant Wood at the colony. Today I focused on Ottumwa artists, so many may recognize their names.

Newton W. Roberts (1881-1974)
Newton Roberts was a lawyer-turned-painter. One day, while his daughter and wife were away, he picked up his daughter’s paint brush and began to experiment. Without formal training, his connections with other Ottumwa artists lead him to the Stone City Art Colony. Clicking on the above link will give you an impressive list of his artistic successes, as well as several images of Roberts and his work.

Marion Gilmore Hulse (1909-1984)
Marion Gilmore, who later went by Mion Hulse, became quite an accomplished artist. Her mural Band Concert, done for the Corning, Iowa Post Office, shows cheerful children playing and friends chatting. There is a true Regionalist feel to this work, which realistically depicts Corning’s square and adds a certain optimistic glow to the event.

Other work by Hulse is very different stylistically, but still focuses on human interaction. Examples can be viewed below her brief biography.

Joseph Townsend Funk (1901-1985)
Joseph Funk was employed by Ottumwa’s Union Bank and Trust. He hosted Edward Rowan while the Little Gallery’s satellite was in Eldon. He began as a painter, but eventually gravitated toward industrial design and color engineering. Those interests lead him to help companies select colors for products and make decisions about the structural elements of buildings. Funk helped design the Ottumwa Armory-Coliseum and launch the Ottumwa Community Art Center.

Bertha Graves Morey (1882-1962)
Like many devoted natives of Southeast Iowa, Bertha Morey was a talented multi-tasker. Her interests were broad, including landscape painting, photography, silk, jewelry and bookplate design. She was curator for a traveling watercolor exhibit in Ottumwa and operated her family’s clay company after the death of her father and brother. The Morey Clay Products Company produced roughly seven million paving bricks each year. Morey’s father was also an artist of sorts, designing and building one of the world’s largest continuous kilns.

Bernard LaMarr Ferguson (1911-1977)
Bernard Ferguson assisted with the opening of five Iowa art institutes, and possibly the Davenport Municipal Art Gallery. He was chosen for Carnegie-sponsored training with Hungarian painter Jaroslav Brozik. During this time he met Johh Sharp and others he would study with at the Stone City colony.

Grant Wood had a lasting impact on Southeast Iowa. Sure, he immortalized a simple piece of architecture in 1930. The painting enhanced Iowa’s image and reputation across the nation, and has quite an economic impact each time it travels to its home state. The American Gothic House Center, which of course wouldn’t exist without the painting, brings 10,000 people through Eldon annually. Grant Wood’s brush with Eldon is still affecting our daily lives 81 years later.

Wood’s presence in this portion of the state extends beyond American Gothic. He is alive in stories told by locals who remember seeing him doodling on the street or speaking with him. Many have personal relationships with his sister Nan, model for the iconic painting. His legacy is carried on by all the artists he taught, and those they taught, and so on. Lucky are we to have so many from Wapello County who studied with him at the Stone City Art Colony.

Winter in Wapello

2011-01-13T11:00:00.000-06:00

During the lovely hot, humid days of summer I often ask myself, “How did I ever make it through winter?” I shudder at the thought of facing the next one—closed indoors, muscles clenched against the wind, not able to take a deep breath because the air is so painfully bitter. What I forget during the green season is the magical sparkle of a snow-covered world. Those mornings when frost forms inside my nostrils are the very same mornings that leave every stem, leaf and hillside stark white and glittering.

Who am I to complain about cold, anyway? The bare-footed chickadees feasting on dried aster seeds outside my window at the American Gothic House Center are bravely facing January. Click for photos of them!

We very often see Grant Wood’s sunny Iowa landscapes, but at this time of year it’s easier to appreciate several winter scenes he produced.

December Afternoon
January
February

Don’t let the frigid air slow you down! It’s toasty and warm inside the American Gothic House Center, and we’re still open 7 days a week. Stop by anytime to thaw out and learn more about Grant Wood and the house next door.

While you’re out and about, take the time to visit local artist Chris Abigt’s show, Uncommon Commonplace, at the Indian Hills Art Gallery in Ottumwa. Uncommon Commonplace is on view in the gallery until Thursday, February 20. Chris is the resident artist at MJ Art Gallery in Ottumwa. You may also recognize her name from the Center’s gift shop, where we are proud to sell prints and note cards of her painting Gothic Windows.

Keep warm—but enjoy the cold!

Wood's Influence, Continued

2011-01-06T12:55:00.001-06:00

Last Thursday’s exploration of the environment surrounding Wood and the Regionalists provided many answers, but in the end my brief research lead to more questions. Continuing forward in history, today I investigated two American artists whose work shows ties to the ideas and subject matter of Regionalism.

On Sunday, the Smithsonian American Art Museum closed its exhibit "Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell From the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg." The exhibit featured 57 works by Rockwell and drew over 700,000 viewers during the six months it was on view.

Like Grant Wood, Rockwell cherished childhood summers in the country and drew on these memories for later paintings. He began drawing as a young boy and left high school in 1909 to pursue art at the National Academy of Design. At only 22, the illustrator was published on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post. The Post continued to feature his illustrations for four decades. Once again recalling Wood, Rockwell painted murals and his artistic talent served his country as a military artist during WWI.

Widely popular (so I won’t get into too much description), Rockwell is known for his cheerful depictions of small-town American life. In the 1960s he began to illustrate for Look Magazine, where his drawings became both more personal and political. During the ten years he worked for Look, his subject matter included civil rights, poverty, and space travel.

The idealized, loyal illustrations of Norman Rockwell undeniably resemble the patriotic themes of Regionalism. Steven Spielberg said of his Rockwell collection, "I look back at these paintings as America the way it could have been, the way someday it may again be." To me, his statement sounds like a way to describe the work of Grant Wood.

Another popular illustrator working during the time of Norman Rockwell was N.C. Wyeth. The Wyeths were a family of artists, and N.C. had a son Andrew who became famous for his paintings. Andrew Wyeth, sometimes called “Painter of the People,” worked in a regionalist style until his death in 2009. Wyeth is most famous for his painting “Christina’s World,” a portrait of his disabled neighbor crawling through a field because she chose not to use a wheelchair.

Like the Regionalists, Wyeth championed America and scorned Modernism. Wyeth “was also a vocal patriot, which… dovetailed with a general sense that his art evoked a mythic rural past embedded in the American psyche,” wrote Michael Kimmelman for the NY Times.

Wyeth painted his family and friends as well as the Pennsylvania and Maine landscapes that surrounded him. When the bohemian artist lifestyle became trendy, Wyeth rebelled by exhibiting the more traditional behavior of the Regionalists. A 1963 journalist described his work: “In today’s scrambled-egg school of art, Wyeth stands out as a wild-eyed radical. For the people he paints wear their noses in the usual place, and the weathered barns and bare-limbed trees in his starkly simple landscapes are more real than reality.”

In explaining the meaning behind his work, Wyeth also describes the beautifully mysterious qualities in many Regionalist landscapes and portraits. “Let’s be sensible about this. I put a lot of things into my work which are very personal to me. So how can the public feel these things? I think most people get to my work through the back door. They’re attracted by the realism and they sense the emotion and the abstraction — and eventually, I hope, they get their own powerful emotion.”

Grant Wood in an Art Historical Context

2010-12-30T10:57:00.000-06:00

My first few weeks at the American Gothic House Center were spent rapidly absorbing facts about Grant Wood’s life and artwork: The timeline of his birth, travels, and artistic career; his influential and well known works; and his jobs as teacher, designer and professor. I learned all about Wood’s internal motivations for pioneering Regionalism, like his Iowa farm roots and a style-altering trip to Germany.

I am a big picture person, and I always want to know why. Very quickly I began to rifle through my memories of an American art history class I took at the UI. What was on the world news during the late 1920s and 1930s? Who were the other standout painters of the time period, and what relationship did Wood’s work have to those artists?

Between World Wars I and II, “Regionalist artists reflected the isolationist attitudes of the country.” The UIMA, in its description of “Plaid Sweater,”goes on to describe the art created during this time as socially conscious but exceedingly patriotic in its portrayal of American life and land. Themes like agriculture and small-town America, emphasized by the WPA, were meant to empower Americans suffering through the Great Depression.

Outside this small bubble of Regionalism consisting of Wood, Thomas Hart Benton and John Stewart Curry was Modernism. The Modernist movement included well known artists like Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Juan Miro and Jackson Pollock. Modernists were interested in human values and concerns, and have been described as global thinkers. Regionalists promoted America and viewed Modern art as elitist and foreign.

It’s easy to see the contrast between the two movements, but is there a comparison?

Jackson Pollock is a particularly interesting connection between Regionalism and Modernism. Pollock studied Regionalism with Thomas Hart Benton for three years, learning its philosophy of authentic American realism. However, by the early 1940s his work had become completely abstract. He abandoned the use of brushes and dripped paint onto a canvas placed on the floor. Benton’s student made so complete a transformation that he spurred a new great movement within Modernism—Abstract Expressionism.

Pollock supposedly said his teacher’s traditional ideas gave him something to rebel against. Even so, a close look reveals some similarities to Benton’s organizational principles in the composition of Pollock’s abstract works.

From a wide view, the history of art is simply one movement rebelling against the last. In most cases these movements occur simultaneously, and as with Pollock, multiple movements can even arise within the work of a single artist. There’s no real stopping place, and I could spend hours researching the ongoing influences of Modernism and Regionalism right up to today. But I better save something for next Thursday.

Best wishes for the New Year.

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center
aghc@iowatelecom.net

P.S. I couldn’t resist including a link to this awesome interactive webpage, where you can splatter paint with a click of your mouse! Experience Pollock’s style for yourself!

Eldon Makes the News!

2010-12-30T10:55:00.000-06:00

Eldon in the news!

Last week I provided a link to the Ottumwa Courier’s coverage of a pie baking class taught at Cardinal HS by my neighbor in the Gothic house. Since then it’s come to my attention that the event was also reported on by the Fairfield Daily Ledger on December 16. Beth’s activity in the community is bringing more positive attention to Eldon!

Iowa blogger ‘Walkaboutdoc’ and friend visit the Gothic house but unfortunately the Center is closed. See the parody photo they took using their tripod, and read about the doctor’s impression of how time has changed the area.

The Daily Nonpareil of Council Bluffs, Iowa published an article on December 19 about Grant Wood’s 1927 mural in the city’s Hotel Chieftain. The mural was hung in the lobby of the Pottawattamie County Courthouse last Saturday.

“An Omaha art consultant believes that one segment of the mural Wood painted for the Hotel Chieftain’s Corn Room – a segment now owned by US Bank and put on loan to the Bluffs Arts Council – “previews the ‘American Gothic.’”” Read more.

Emma Lee Godfrey, also from Council Bluffs, had her poem Grant Wood’s Iowa published in Lyrical Iowa 2010. The book has been published annually for 65 years by the Iowa Poetry Association.

Happy holidays all! I leave you with Ms. Godfrey’s words.

Grant Wood’s Iowa

With the strokes of his brush
painter Grant Wood published
a show for the world about
his home state, Iowa.

His most famous painting
American Gothic, portrayed
the architecture, the landscape,
and the hard working people.

His hilly landscapes dotted
with trees bore his unique style
and gave viewers the experience
of Iowa just as surely as
the French painter, Monet, welcomed
viewers to his country gardens
with his studies of light and color.

Grant Wood painted what he
knew best and made a record
of the cornfields and pumpkins,
the hills, and the people
as they were in his time.

On the web this week: The Effects of Grant Wood

2010-12-16T11:43:00.000-06:00

Those with an interest in Grant Wood are well aware of the influence American Gothic had on the Midwest. What we are perhaps less aware of is his impact on the artwork of his students. Wood was an instructor at the University of Iowa from 1935 to 1942, at the Stone City Art Colony from 1932-1934, and was a public school teacher in Cedar Rapids during his early years. I did a little searching this morning and was able to find information on two artists who studied with him in Stone City. Both continued their careers in art and gave back to the state of Iowa.

The first artist is a name you’ll probably recognize—Isabel Bloom.

Isabel Scherer Bloom was born in Galveston, TX. Her family moved to Davenport, so she considered herself an Iowa native. She participated in two summers at the Stone City Art Colony and married fellow resident John Bloom. I was surprised to find that artists working in 3-D studied at Stone City, having heard mostly about the collaborative mural painting that took place there. While at the colony, Isabel carved in limestone.

Bloom later hosted a TV program for kids called Make Believe, where she modeled, dressed and used clay figurines to teach art lessons and tell stories. Her interest in children is reflected in her popular sculptures, which can be viewed in showrooms in Davenport, West Des Moines, and Moline, Illinois. Her work is now sold around the country.

The second artist I discovered is Lee Allen. According to Wikipedia (As all my research instructors cringe, may I just say that the more reliable information on Mount Mercy College’s website is unavailable this morning due to a recent overhaul.), Allen was born in Muscatine and studied at the UI School of Art as well as attending two summers at the Stone City Art Colony. Grant Wood introduced Allen to Diego Rivera, who helped Allen advance as a mural painter. Rivera was a popular Mexican artist known for his controversial communist artwork and his tumultuous relationship with fellow painter Frida Kahlo.

Allen returned to Iowa and completed murals in Onawa and Emmetsburg. I found an image of the Emmetsburg mural, where Wood’s stylistic influence and the Regionalist subject matter comes through clearly.

For 39 years, Allen worked as a medical illustrator for the University Of Iowa College Of Medicine. As he aged, Allen began to experience symptoms of macular degeneration, an incurable eye failure which eventually results in blindness. He combined his talent as an artist with his knowledge of medicine to write and illustrate The Hole in My Vision: An Artist’s View of His Own Macular Degeneration. (You may have to scroll down a few stories for this information.) For ten years, Allen studied and drew pictures of the changes in his vision as he aged and underwent laser eye surgery. The book was published by Penfield Books in a type specifically structured for visually impaired readers. Profits were used to support macular degeneration research at the UI.

Yesterday, as I took his photo in front of the house, a young man in a cowboy hat claimed to be Wood’s grandson. (To which I replied, “Yes, and the pitchfork in your hand is the actual pitchfork Dr. McKeeby held in American Gothic.”) Although Grant Wood did not have biological children, his protégé have continued to shape the artistic culture in Iowa and beyond.

I look forward to the re-launch of Kristy Raine’s Stone City Art Colony research on the Mount Mercy website and plan to present more of the ‘Effects of Grant Wood’ in coming newsletters. Thanks for reading!

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center

P.S. Just in case you missed it, here's a link to Mark Newman's front page coverage of Gothic House tenant Beth Howard teaching a pie class at Cardinal HS last week.

On the web this week: Holiday Shopping at AGHC

2010-12-09T13:43:00.000-06:00

Good afternoon and happy Thursday! Last weekend’s Christmas in Eldon brought 73 visitors to the Center for the Tour of Homes. Parents and 37 kids decorated graham cracker gingerbread houses. Photos from the weekend are available on Facebook!

There are still plenty of events to come in Wapello County to get you in the holiday spirit:

Take a Winter Tracks Hike through Pioneer Ridge Nature Area to look for signs of animals and much more. All ages and families are invited to participate at 2pm on December 18.

On December 30 join in the national Christmas Bird Count, conducted annually for over 100 years. Count the birds at your home feeders or join WCCB staff at 8 am for a drive through the area in search of many bird species. If you would like to join the count from home, please call 641.682.3091 to receive the recording sheet and other necessary information.

Don’t forget Holiday Nights ‘N Lights in Greater Ottumwa Park, happening nightly through December 31.

I held out for as long as possible, but I’ve finally started playing Christmas music. It seems to be the best (only?) way to get through the cold! I also (reluctantly) began my Christmas shopping this week. It’s safe to say a fair amount of the gifts I’ll be giving are going to come from the American Gothic House Center gift shop. (Dear Moser family: I hope you’re ready for all things Grant Wood!)

Great new gifts in our shop this season include a brand new shipment of “The Original American Gothic House” t-shirts in a variety of bright colors like kiwi, paprika, honey, and many more! We just received round, white shatterproof ornaments with our logo, a classic gift to last for years. Also new are sketchbooks for aspiring Grant Woods, photo frames perfect for holding your very own parody photo, and American Gothic House bumper stickers.

We still have all your old favorites as well! Long and short sleeve denim button up shirts, clothes for baby, prints of many Grant Wood paintings, postcards and note cards, magnets, mugs and may more gifts for your friends and family. If you’re looking for something especially unique, try one of the handmade objects or prints by local artists!

Too far away to visit the gift shop? Call me at 641.652.3352 to place an order, or print our order form online and mail it (newer items are not included on the order form, so you may still have to call).

Happy gift hunting!

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center

P.S. If you’ve been reading the blogs I regularly mention in this newsletter, you’re probably already aware of the long list of visitors to the American Gothic House. The most recent guest, Christine Buckley, writes a travel blog for the Huffington Post. Her first post on her stay at the house gave a great review of her time in Eldon. Apparently she thought this portion of her trip deserved a second look, because she added another essay about Eldon to her blog on December 3.

Christmas activities for all!

2010-12-02T09:31:00.000-06:00

Eldon has a full day of Christmas activities to keep you busy this Saturday, December 4.

Christmas Dinner: 11-2, KD Center

Tour of Homes: Never been inside the American Gothic House? Now’s your chance! Take a peek into six of Eldon’s homes and businesses from 10-2 and 4-8. Tickets for the Tour can be purchased for $5 at the Opera House.

Christmas Tree Wanderland: Friday, 9-5; Saturday, 9-9; Sunday, 11-3. Find the Christmas spirit while touring beautiful trees decorated by the community at the McHaffey Opera House.

The Depot will also be decorated and open for viewing on Friday from 5-9 pm and all day Saturday from 10-9.

Gingerbread House Decorating: American Gothic House Center, 1-4 pm. Parents and kids 12 and under are invited to decorate a graham cracker gingerbread house on Saturday. Arrive early to enjoy a wide selection of candy decorations!

Also on view: Gingerbread villages built by community members.

Boy Scout Soup Supper: KD Center, 5-7 pm. All this activity will likely get your stomach growling again, so stop in for soup at the KD Center.

Park Lighting Ceremony: 7 pm. Cap off an exciting day with Christmas carols and the lighting of the park!

On the web this week, Christine Buckley of the Huffington Post gives Eldon wonderful press in a review of her stay at the American Gothic House. The Eastern Iowa Mini Club posted many photos of their visit to the house and Center as well!

Stay warm!

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center

On the web this week: Thanksgiving Treats

2010-11-24T10:16:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving from the American Gothic House Center!

When you’ve finished your turkey and sweet potatoes but are still too full for dessert, take a look at these links for a treat that won’t add to the fullness in your belly.

Last Sunday afternoon the mini cooper car club returned to Eldon for the second time this fall. Gothic House tenant Beth Howard wasn’t home for their first visit, so they came back for round two—and this time, the trip included pie. See photos and read more about the event on Beth’s blog.

(Interested in traveling car clubs? I found this page of photos from the Heart of Iowa Miata Owners Group, who visited in 2009.)

Food bank in Portland, Oregon raises $600,000 with an American Gothic themed gala! The group created a Gothic House backdrop and their own version of the costumes to entertain guests. They did a great job and it looks like their guests had fun—but personally I think we do it better here in Eldon : )

Blogger brings her 89 year-old zip lining, sky diving mother-in-law to the American Gothic House Center.

Now, enjoy your pumpkin pie! And take a good, long nap in your favorite chair. That’s what I’m going to do!

Happy holidays!

Molly Moser
Administrator
American Gothic House Center

On the web this week: Coming home to Iowa

2010-11-18T14:08:00.001-06:00

The cold weather is really setting in now! The temperature is dropping, and with it the amount of travelers passing through. Fewer visitors mean a more intimate experience for each who enters the American Gothic House Center. Yesterday I met a couple from West Des Moines who stayed for nearly two hours and thoroughly absorbed every bit the Center has to offer. I am pleased to say that by the end of the visit, they were asking to get on this mailing list!

Connecting with travelers is a delight. Having lived a whole 23 years in the state, I thought I knew it pretty well. Silly me. You wouldn’t believe how much information visitors pass on about the unique details of Iowa! I’ve been told several times about a wrought iron sculpture of American Gothic located near Des Moines (I’d like to see this—any idea where it is?). One visitor described the Grotto of Redemption in West Bend, and another theBily Clocks Museum in Spillville. There is so much to see and do in Iowa, it’s no wonder that after traveling Europe Grant Wood decided to come home. As my new friend living in the Gothic house tells me, “All the cool people come back.” Laura Millsaps, for the Ames Tribune, left Iowa for nearly two decades and returned to Ames four years ago. In an article written last week, she compares her relationship with her home state to Wood’s.

Certainly this links to the flood of guests lining up to vacation with the Gothic house tenant. Since her arrival in September, Beth has hosted friends from Mason City, Davenport, Des Moines, Portland, L.A., D.C., and Virginia. One couple even honeymooned at the house! Many comment on how well they sleep during their stay. Her current guest has spent the last week in Eldon doing some soul searching. “I don’t really want to leave,” she admitted yesterday.

Once again, I have to hand it to Grant Wood. When he painted Iowa, he wasn’t just showing off pretty farmscapes or immortalizing a character type. There is definitely something beneath the surface describing a deeper Iowa. It could be the spirit of the locals, with their commitment to giving back. In an article by Cindy Toopes of the Ottumwa Courier, Eldon Mayor Shirley Stacey is recognized for her contributions as a volunteer, GATE president, and member of the PEO. Perhaps the personality of Iowa can also be described by the fact that there are over 240 museums and historical societiesthroughout the state. Or maybe it’s something much simpler.

I recently chatted with a California native, back in Iowa to attend his class reunion at Central College in Pella. He described himself as being in California “for the time being,” and said he is “trying to escape.” The man quoted an article he read during his college years that has stuck with him. “Coming to Iowa is like taking off tight shoes. You didn’t know how bad it was until you took them off.”

After experiencing Europe, Wood made a conscious decision to return home. Something about the essence of Iowa drew him back in 1927, and it’s still drawing people in 2010.

So keep the travelers coming!

On the web this week: Thank you, Veterans.

2010-11-10T09:30:00.000-06:00

In honor of Veterans and all they have sacrificed, consider a trip to the Cedar Rapids Art Museum (or at least to their website).

CRMA's exhibit The Grant Wood Window: Drawings for the Veterans Memorial Stained Glass Window Commission closes this Sunday, November 14. The featured drawings are the exact dimensions of the window itself—an impressive 24 feet high by 20 feet wide. The window is part of the Veteran’s Memorial building in Cedar Rapids and was rededicated earlier this year. It is valued at $3 million.

The Veterans Memorial Window was built in Germany, where Wood studied the art of stained glass from the most experienced craftsmen. Nan Wood Graham posed as the Lady of Peace and Victory, holding a palm branch and a laurel wreath. Six life sized soldiers in the design represent the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, and World War I.

See photos of the window and learn more here.

Submit a gingerbread house for display at the American Gothic House Center

Want to recreate the Gothic House or another favorite bit of architecture in your kitchen? Love making gingerbread houses each year, but don’t know what to do with them? Enter your creation in the American Gothic House Center’s annual gingerbread house exhibit! Drop off your gingerbread house by 4 pm on November 30 and it will be on display December 1-14 (back to your home just in time for the holidays). Amateur builders are encouraged to participate! There is no entry fee—just have fun! Please call 641.652.3352 if you plan to submit a gingerbread house.

What's the story with this new biography?

2010-11-04T11:09:00.001-05:00

It has been years since a biography of Grant Wood was written, and the latest brings with it some controversy about Wood’s personal life. In preparation for author R. Tripp Evans’ presentations in Ottumwa and Eldon, I’ve discovered a few reviews in which Evans answers questions undoubtedly on all our minds.

“Why should anyone care about Wood’s sexual orientation?” asked Diana Nollen for Eastern Iowa Life.

“So why drag Wood's personal life into a modern-day culture war? Why not just appreciate his paintings on their artistic merit?” asked Michael Morain, Des Moines Register reporter.

There’s been so much talk about the author that ‘outted Grant Wood.’ Does the book acknowledge other equally significant aspects of Wood’s life which could have influenced his artwork and message? Evans gives his answer to this question in a Radio Iowa interview.

Deborah Solomon, author of the “Questions For” column in The Times Magazine, gave her opinion of Grant Wood, A Life in the New York Times last week. She referenced Eldon several times when analyzing American Gothic. (If you can’t view this article, you can sign up for a free online subscription to the NY Times—it only takes a few seconds.)

Evans will read an excerpt from his book and give a brief presentation at the Eldon Library Hall at 7 pm on Wednesday, November 10. There will be lots of time for discussion, so if you have more questions for the author, please bring them! If you can’t make it to Eldon, here’s a list of other lectures Evans is giving around the state.

What’s happening at the Center?

Last weekend’s Halloween party at the American Gothic House Center was attended by 61 children plus their parents. Here’s a huge thank you to all the volunteers, parents, and children who made the party a success! Kids made spider bracelets, vampire lollipops (a new take on the old ‘kleenex ghost’ lollipop), and frosted orange monster cookies. Party attendees raced to put a bib, overalls, and a jacket over their costumes and carry an ‘eyeball’ on a spoon across the lawn. A local wizard shared magic tricks, and many costumed children posed for a parody photo in front of the house. Look for pictures on our Facebook page!

Congratulations to our local game show winners! If you have not yet watched Loren and Mary Ellen Fligg’s Hollywood debut on Let’s Make a Deal, you can see the show here. Fast forward to the second half of the show to see what the Fliggs won!

On the web this week: Klingons, Pitchforks, and Let's Make a Deal

2010-10-28T12:20:00.002-05:00

Where has October gone?! Last week I was writing about sunshine, and tonight we have a freeze warning. The blustery days we’ve had this week have changed the parody photo from couples with eyes squinted against the sun to pairs with collars and hair blown askew and bodies leaning diagonally into the wind.

And that’s not the only new parody since last week. Photographer Jason Tracy visited Saturday with an interesting plan in mind. “My photo would attempt to recreate (as faithfully as possible) the painting but replace the farmer and his wife with two impressive, dominant Klingon models. This is the first planned image in a series tentatively titled, "Juxtapositions" where I'm taking familiar or everyday scenes and twisting them with something unusual or surreal.” I’ve posted a preliminary photo of the Klingons in traditional American Gothic wear on our Facebook page.

With this photo in mind, I look forward to the costumes I’ll see this Saturday at our Halloween party! Kids from preschool through fifth grade are invited to attend and join in a scavenger hunt and a gothic eyeball relay race, try a wizard’s brew, decorate orange ‘monster’ cookies, and make spiders and vampires at the craft table. The party takes place from 2-3 pm at the American Gothic House Center. Parents are encouraged to attend with their small children.

Here are a few festive Halloween parodies to set the mood for trick-or-treaters this weekend:

American Gothic in the Rocky Horror Picture Show

American Gothic Halloween card

Pitchforks in the News
Did I ever imagine I’d be handling a hayfork daily in my first job? Nope. Luckily I’ve yet to use one for its intended purpose. Instead I get to help those posing with one. “Point the tines toward you, but don’t poke your face! Tilt the fork left… right… back a little… Perfect.” Since starting here, I’ve become acutely aware of the presence of forks in the world. I realized the best fork in my kitchen (yes, I have a favorite fork) has only three tines, just like the one in the painting. Last weekend I purchased a hayfork at a garage sale for Beth's pitchfork pie stand. Because of Grant Wood, the pitchfork has become an American symbol. Which is apparently why this man in Phoenix, AZ is going to court over carrying one.

Reminder: Tune in to KCCI at 2pm this afternoon! Eldon natives Loren and Mary Ellen Fligg will appear on Let’s Make a Deal, hosted by Wayne Brady. The Fliggs borrowed American Gothic gear from the Center when their daughter purchased tickets to the show. Dressing like the Gothic couple attracted attention at the filming, and the Fliggs were selected from the audience to play the game. The American Gothic House Center thanks Loren and Mary Ellen for their support, and hopes for a big win!

On the web this week: Hollywood, Models, and WHO-TV

2010-10-21T10:38:00.003-05:00

Another breezy, sunny day in Wapello County reminds us why Wood found Iowa worthy of commemoration in his work. Let’s hope this fabulous weather keeps up, because next weekend is the Children’s Gothic Halloween Party at the American Gothic House Center! Kids from preschool through 5th grade are welcome to attend on Saturday, October 30 from 2-3 pm. Arrive in costume to create a spooky parody photograph. Photos will be printed at the party and are a gift to all who attend! Activities also include a scavenger hunt, cookie decorating, and fun crafts.

American Gothic goes to Hollywood! Tune in to KCCI at 2pm on October 28. Eldon natives Loren and Mary Ellen Fligg will appear on Let’s Make a Deal, hosted by Wayne Brady. The Fliggs borrowed American Gothic gear from the Center when their daughter purchased tickets to the show. Dressing like the Gothic couple attracted attention at the filming, and the Fliggs were selected from the audience to play the game. The American Gothic House Center thanks Loren and Mary Ellen for their support, and hopes to see a big win next Thursday!

Nan Wood Graham and Dr. Byron McKeeby are the stars of American Gothic. Those with a special interest in the painting may know the story of these two models, but what about the models in other famous paintings? For example, who was the girl in Vermeer’s Girl With a Pearl Earring? Was the person who posed for Munch’s The Scream a man or a woman? Who was Picasso’s Weeping Woman, and what’s the story of Whistler’s Mother? View images of these artworks and learn more about the people they feature.

WHO-TV followed up last week’s Des Moines Register article on Eldon and Beth Howard with a story on Monday’s 5 o’clock news. See cameraman Mike Borland’s version of American Gothic, and check out the story as it appeared on WHO-TV.

If you haven’t heard enough about Grant Wood; A Life, you can listen to an interview with author Tripp Evans which aired yesterday on WNYC!

Writing the weekly newsletter is one of my favorite things to do. I hope you enjoy it as well, and that you find the content exciting and relevant. If you have suggestions for blogs, articles, or topics you’d like to see featured, please contact me at aghc@iowatelecom.net. Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful weekend!

Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

On the web this week: Eldon appears in the Des Moines Register

2010-10-14T10:57:00.002-05:00

Late last week, Des Moines Register reporter Kyle Munson arrived in Eldon to spend the day with Gothic House tenant Beth Howard. Beth gave him a quick bike tour of Eldon which included lunch at City Hall and a peek at the McHaffey Opera House. Munson’s blog post on his visit was published Sunday, and the article appeared on the front page of Monday’s Register. The online versions of the story include snapshots of Eldon and a video tour of the house. Mike Borland, from WHO-TV out of Des Moines, saw Munson’s story and will interview Beth in Eldon tomorrow.

Four guests at the Center on Monday made the journey from Des Moines to Eldon after reading that morning’s Register. All wanted to sample Beth’s pie. She plans to begin selling apple pie (by the slice or as a whole) this Saturday afternoon. Working next door to her has its perks, and one of them is the role of pie sampler--which naturally I have adopted with open arms. I highly recommend a visit to the Center paired with a slice of Beth’s mouth-watering apple pie this weekend!

Upcoming Events

Don’t miss the Children’s Gothic Halloween Party on Saturday, October 30 from 2-3 pm. Arrive in costume to take a spooky parody photo in front of the house, make Halloween crafts and play games! Kids ages preschool through 5th grade are invited. Young children should be accompanied by an adult.

Coming up on KCCI at 2 pm, October 28: Tune in to Let’s Make a Deal to see someone you may recognize!

Hardcover copies of Grant Wood; A Life are now on sale in the gift shop for $37.50, and will be available for sale at the lecture on November 10. Author Tripp Evans will sign books following a reading, presentation, and Q&A at the Eldon Library Hall.

More reviews of November’s lecturer, Tripp Evans, and his new book, Grant Wood; A Life.

October 8 Press Citizen

October 9 Press Citizen

Gothic Fun!

As reported by the TH, the God Bless America statue by sculptor J. Seward Johnson arrived in Dubuque on Tuesday. This is the statue’s first appearance in Iowa, where it will remain until April of 2011. The Dubuque Museum of Art houses one of the largest collections of Grant Wood art in the country.

Cake Wrecks: Scroll down about three images to see this beautiful American Gothic themed cake!

On the web this week: ISU and Book Reviews

2010-10-07T11:53:00.000-05:00

This week the American Gothic House Center hosted a bus tour of women from Iowa State University. The fifty well dressed ladies arrived bright and early and full of curiosity about the Center, the house, and the city of Eldon. The ISU Women's Club began many years ago as wives of faculty members meeting during the day. It has evolved to include female faculty and now incorporates a yearly bus tour. The group watched a video, Grant Wood’s America, in the media room, toured the gallery, enjoyed the gift shop, and took photos in costume. Beth Howard, tenant at the Gothic House, even allowed the inquisitive bunch to tour her home!

I have already referenced it multiple times, and this book just keeps coming to my attention. Grant Wood: A Life, by R. Tripp Evans, was released this Tuesday and has been reviewed by the New York Times and many more. Following are excerpts from several reviews paired with links to full articles. Evans is scheduled to speak in Ottumwa on November 9 and in Eldon on November 10 at 7 pm in the Eldon Library Hall.

“I hope people come to realize that Grant Wood was everything they think he was, but he was a whole lot more,” says Evans. “People look at his paintings and they see common people living simple lives, but many of those paintings have this power to unnerve us and we can’t put our finger on why. That shows what a talented artist he was.” --University of Iowa FYI, Tom Snee

“Wood clearly loved to hide things in plain sight. He also loved to create images that, like “American Gothic,” ensure that “the viewer doesn’t know whether to giggle or shiver.” Mr. Evans offers intensive analysis of “American Gothic” as well as many other Wood paintings, most notably “Parson Weems’ Fable” (1939), which rivals “American Gothic” for tacit but turbulent complexity and is so surpassingly strange and dreamlike that it is “a kind of Rosetta Stone to Wood’s inner conflicts.” --Review by NY Times reporter Janet Maslin

“No doubt there will be readers, whatever their motives, who see Grant Wood: A Life as a slander against the self-described “simple Middle Western farmer-painter” and his wholesome paintings. But Evans has done Wood a great service in saving him and his work from the one-dimensionality to which they have largely been consigned. He has rendered the artist and the art in all their ambivalence, disquiet, mischief, deceptiveness, and anguish. This is a deeply respectful and compassionate biography.” --Stephen Biel’s Review --Biel is the author of American Gothic: A Life of America’s Most Famous Painting (2005).

“Even today, the story of Wood’s sudden rise from obscurity to fame remains without precedent. No other American artist has ever achieved such sudden and lasting national fame from a small-town base, without ever showing his work in New York, and without even having an art dealer." --Henry Adams for Art and Antiques Magazine

On the web this week: A steady stream of visitors and their positive comments!

2010-09-30T15:12:00.002-05:00

Fall tourism is picking up where summer’s travelers left off! Early this week the Center hosted 45 men and women from Monsanto Company out of St. Louis, Missouri. One traveler on the bus had previously visited the Center and suggested an impromptu stop as the group toured nearby fields. Many questions were asked and answered, and most members of the group posed for their own parody photo in front of the house.

The October schedule is filling quickly with tours from Iowa State University, car clubs, Red Hat Ladies, and other social groups. The American Gothic House Center was represented in a booth at the Travel Iowa Marketplace in Des Moines yesterday. Hopefully the event will lead to tour bookings for the coming year!

Delighted visitors write about their experience at the American Gothic House Center

I am fairly new to the Twitter world, and recently downloaded an application called TweetDeck. The application gives instant notices anytime someone mentions American Gothic in a message they send out (a tweet). I watch with pleasure as visitors I met only days (or sometimes just moments) ago post photos and short messages about their visit to the Center.

This blogger seems to be biking across the country with a cycle group. She shared what she learned about American Gothic while at the Center and posted photos taken during her visit.

Post about the blogger’s visit

Map of the cycle group’s travels

More on Upcoming R. Tripp Evans Lecture

Last week’s update noted the approaching lecture by R. Tripp Evans on his book, Grant Wood, A Life. Interested in learning more about the content of this book, I found a review done by Lambda Literary. Read what critic James Polchin has to say about the new book, which will be released in October. Evans speaks at the Eldon Library Hall on November 10 at 7 pm. Hope to see you there!

Book Review

On the web this week: Fall Events

2010-09-23T11:13:00.003-05:00

I looked out my office window this morning to see five large vans pull into the parking lot, and tourists in matching attire began to pour out. Eighteen members of the Hawkeye Kountry Travelers are currently camping in Ottumwa and decided to make a morning jaunt to the Gothic House. They enjoyed the video and gallery, and then posed for photos in front of the house. The energy of that group was a great way to start the day!

I’m now about seven weeks into my work at the American Gothic House Center. Visitors sometimes wonder what I spend my days doing or imply that it might be lonely to be a ‘one woman show.’ In fact, it’s just the opposite! As proven by this morning, there’s always something happening at the Center. Here’s a schedule of events for the next two months.

September 25, 5-6:30pm: Volunteer Potluck

The volunteer contribution at the American Gothic House Center is immense. Our core of about thirty volunteers donated almost 200 hours of their time in August alone. So far in 2010, volunteers have helped at the Center for over 1,100 hours. Last week a volunteer offered to power wash the sidewalk and porch, another replanted a tree in the yard, and a third greeted visitors and managed the gift shop all afternoon so I could make phone calls and focus on office tasks. The Center will be thanking volunteers at a potluck dinner this Saturday, September 25 at 5 pm. If you would like to attend in support of the volunteers and all they do for the community, please bring a dish to share and tableware.

October 30, 2-3pm: Kids Gothic Halloween Party

Parents and children, join us this fall for a children’s Halloween party at the house that inspired artist Grant Wood. A spooky scavenger hunt for kids will lead to Halloween treats! Arrive in costume and make your own Gothic Halloween parody in front of the American Gothic House! Parents can bring cameras or purchase photos printed from the Center’s camera.

November 10, 7pm: Tripp Evans Grant Wood Lecture

R. Tripp Evans will be releasing his biography titled Grant Wood, A Life on October 5. Evans is touring the country from September through December and will be in Iowa during the month of November. Join us at the Eldon Library Hall on November 10 to meet the author and listen to him speak about his book. Copies of Grant Wood, A Life can be ordered through the Center for a special discounted price until October first.

Grand Wood, A Life

Wapello County Conservation Board: Fall Events Our friends at the Conservation Board have a great lineup of fall activities for those of you who enjoy the outdoors. Events include fly tying club, two Halloween hikes featuring bloodsuckers and parasites, and Run for the Ridge, a 5k run/walk.

See full calendar

Blog Update: A few weeks ago I posted a link to a blog written by a mother traveling with her children through Iowa. Her son remarked that the scenery looked just like a Grant Wood painting, and recently she posted photos comparing the scenery with paintings by Grant Wood.

Check it out!

Here's a link to the original post.

And finally, on a more personal note, minnemom’s most recent post is about a town I passed through many times during my childhood. I couldn’t resist mentioning the big pink elephant!

McGregor, IA

Thanks for reading. Hope you have a splendid weekend!

On the web this week: An Assortment of Information

2010-09-16T14:10:00.001-05:00

It’s Thursday again, and time for another American Gothic House Center update. This one contains an assortment of information that has come up this week.

The asters are still blooming ferociously, the weeds are still fiercely growing (though I am just as fiercely fighting back—finally brought down those pesky invasive sunflowers and managed, using all my strength, to remove the giant flat grasses taking over the beds lining the sidewalk), and last week I discovered a brilliant pink hibiscus blooming among our native prairie flowers! I regularly post garden photos on our facebook page, so if you’re interested see the link below and become a fan of our page!

AGHC On Facebook

November 13: Herberger’s Community Day

You can help raise money for the American Gothic House Center, and add a little to your own wallet as well! Purchase a coupon booklet for $5 from the American Gothic House Center and receive a $10 coupon as well as several 20% discount coupons to be used at Herberger’s in Ottumwa on Saturday, November 13. All booklet sales go directly to the Center.

If you would like to help sell coupon booklets on November 13 at Herberger's or before (sales can begin any time), please call and I’ll get you a set of booklets.

American Gothic Experiences the Effects of Technology

One part of my job is to edit current and create new promotional materials for the Center. Lucky for me, the Center’s previous administrator applied for a grant from the Wapello County Foundation and received funds for the purchase of the Adobe Creative Suite. So I, like today’s featured blogger, am learning to use professional software for designing signage and brochures, updating the website, and editing photos.

At the Center we have an extensive collection of parodies, many of which have been computer generated using programs like Adobe Photoshop. Bill and Hillary Clinton are a favorite, their faces collaged overtop Nan and the dentists’ realistically enough to make visitors wonder if the Clintons stopped in Eldon. Giving the Gothic couple new faces is a popular parody, and so is giving them new clothing and accessories. With the help of Photoshop backgrounds they have travelled to Hollywood, taken a ride on a subway, and as you’ll see in Daisy’s blog, they have even attended rock concerts.

Just for fun, here’s a set of parodies created in Adobe Photoshop by a blogger named Daisy.

Rent the American Gothic House Center for your next party, meeting, or any occasion! The scenic gardens create the perfect setting for outdoor events on the lawn, porch or patio. Please call or email me if you would like details on rental possibilities at the American Gothic House Center.

On the web this week: American Gothic House Becomes a Home

2010-09-09T11:25:00.001-05:00

American Gothic House Becomes a Home

The last few days at the American Gothic House Center have been full ones. We had a fantastic holiday weekend, hosting over 300 visitors! The weather has been superb as we shift into autumn; bringing more travelers and allowing me to enjoy working in the flower beds. Yesterday brought us Beth Howard, an Ottumwa native returning to southeast Iowa to take advantage of a rare opportunity.

The American Gothic House has been empty since 2008, when the last tenant moved on. Built in 1881, the house was first owned by Charles and Catherine Dibble in 1887. Ten years later, the house was purchased by E.P. Forest Howard, who used the front room as a candy and novelty store. From May 1917 to September 1933 Gideon and Mary Jones occupied the house, during which time Grant Wood visited Eldon.

More information about the house

Fast forward a few decades to 1991, when Carl E. Smith donated the house to the State Historical Society of Iowa. Since then, the house has been rented by various local people including postmasters, a school teacher, and now by writer and pie baker Beth Howard.

“I can’t wait any longer! I’m so excited to get there,” Beth wrote to me Tuesday. She arrived yesterday afternoon, smiling and excited to start a new adventure in Eldon as the tenant in the American Gothic House.

I’ll let Beth do the rest of the talking. Following is a link to her blog entry about her visit to the American Gothic House Center just two short weeks ago. She includes photos of Eldon, her own American Gothic Parody (as well as one by her two dogs), and a peek inside the house.

Get to know the new American Gothic House tenant

Check out her website as well, especially if you (like me) have a thing for pie.

The World Needs More Pie

Welcome, Beth!

Scenic Iowa and a Generous Donation

2010-09-02T11:35:00.001-05:00

Is this heaven? No, it’s Iowa.

Iowans have an abundance of opportunities to appreciate the simple things in life. We are fortunate, most of the time, not to have to worry about hazardous air alerts or stressful commutes. We can enjoy the scenery free from distraction. And what worthy scenery it is! City dwellers escape from their towering concrete surroundings to take a deep breath in the land of Grant Wood, who has shown the world the beauty of the Midwest.

I once had a discussion with Florida high school students, who couldn’t seem to remember the difference between Iowa, Idaho, and Ohio. “Iowa? Is that the potato state?” They viewed Iowa as a state you fly over rather than as a destination. Fortunately, many do realize the value of our state. The refreshing blog entry featured in today’s e-news focuses on a child’s appreciation of an Iowa road trip, with some especially insightful comments about the artistic significance of our landscape.

Blogger appreciates Iowa, the land of Grant Wood

Autumn Approaches: Leaves, Sweaters and Homecoming

Another takeoff on Wood’s most famous painting has come home to Eldon. If you’ve been to the American Gothic House Center in the past month, you’ve definitely noticed a new addition to our collection. Standing about six feet tall and over five feet wide, a replica of the famed house with a projecting porch was created by an artist in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Originally purposed as the set of an Independence Day parade float, the replica may be displayed as part of a float in the local homecoming parade later this month.

Albert Lea donates American Gothic house replica

On the web this week...Marvin Cone and a note from AGHC's new administrator

2010-08-26T10:56:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Eldon! As the new administrator at the American Gothic House Center, I would like to thank you for your interest in Grant Wood and American Gothic. I am excited to be part of the preservation of this important piece of American history, and have been fortunate in meeting many welcoming and dedicated supporters in my short time at AGHC. I invite you to continue to enjoy the Center, and look forward to your visit!

Hear parting words from previous administrator Jessica Strom in this great story by KTVO’s Matt Buhrman.

Grant Wood and Marvin Cone, two prominent Cedar Rapids artists, were close friends. They met as young men and traveled together to Paris, then worked together at the Stone City Art Colony. Both artists influenced the shaping of a truly American style of art, and the two friends influenced one another as well. On Monday, the Des Moines Register featured Cone in their Famous Iowans segment.

Learn more about Grant Wood’s close friend, Marvin Cone.

When travelling to the American Gothic House Center via highway 34, have you wondered about the black signs with a red bull you see on the roadside? As a newcomer to Southeast Iowa, I wanted to know more. A discussion with an AGHC volunteer informed me that Marvin Cone designed the Red Bull insignia when he was a member of the 34th Infantry Division during World War II. US 34 was designated the 34th Infantry Division Memorial Highway in honor of the unit.

Read about the 34th Infantry Division and Cone’s role in creating the insignia.

On the web this week...God Bless America Statue Moves Again

2010-08-11T11:33:00.000-05:00

God Bless America statue moves to Indiana for the State Fair.

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Blogger comments on Grant Wood and Regionalism.

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On the web this week...House Fans

2010-07-26T11:32:00.000-05:00

For those of you "House" fans, check out this new American Gothic Parody.

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Wood Corn Room mural segments installed in Council Bluffs.

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On the web this week...New Administrator Hired

2010-07-16T11:30:00.000-05:00

After reviewing many applicants and interviewing a select three, the American Gothic House Center Board hired Molly Moser to begin work on August 3 as the new American Gothic House Center Administrator.

Originally from Guttenberg, Iowa, Molly graduated from the University of Iowa with a Studio Art Major, Business Administrator Minor and Museum Studies Certificate. While going to school, Molly worked at the Old Capitol Museum, Blank Honors Center Galleries, Office of the State Archeologist, University of Iowa Museum of Art, Des Moines Art Center and the Wilson Home of Guttenberg. Most recently, Molly spent this summer as a member of the Ginnell Artist Residency Program, which was recently highlighted by the Des Moines Register.

There will be an opportunity to meet Molly at the Humanities Iowa Lecture "Early Depression Dilemmas of Rural Iowa, October 1929 to November 1932" by Lisa Ossian at the Eldon Library Hall that has been rescheduled for Thursday, August 12 at 7 pm. Refreshments will be served after the lecture.

Read More Here about the Grinnell Artist Residency Program

Read More about Molly Moser at the Grinnell Artist Residency Program

In other news and in follow up to a previous story, the Grant Wood Cultural District in downtown Cedar Rapids is to be certified by the State Historical Society of Iowa.

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On the web this week...History of an American Town...Stone City

2010-07-09T16:36:00.000-05:00

As a follow up to the bus trip the center took this spring to Cedar Rapids, Anamosa and Stone City, I thought this first article was appropriate. The writer chose to highlight Stone City as part of his American Town series. A discussion of Stone City couldn't be complete without talking about Grant Wood's painting of "Stone City" or the Art Colony he helped host there.

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The second article is a very nice essay on Grant Wood. It contains a Grant Wood quote that is new to me: "Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon, you all had great moments, but you never tasted the supreme triumph; you were never a farm boy riding in from the fields on a bulging rack of new-mown hay." –Grant Wood

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On the web this week...Rededication of Memorial Window

2010-07-02T15:51:00.001-05:00

Grant Wood's Memorial Window in Cedar Rapids has been restored and repaired, and is to be rededicated this weekend on Sunday, July 4.

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In other news, Nan Wood Graham is remembered as the Mona Lisa of America by Riverside, California.

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On the web this week...Grant Wood District

2010-06-17T16:37:00.001-05:00

Downtown Cedar Rapids has been designated as a Grant Wood District by the State Historical Society of Iowa. The district includes the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art and Grant Wood's Studio.

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In other news, I have announced my resignation as Administrator for the American Gothic House Center as I prepare to move to northwest Iowa. The Courier did a short story on this, and I hope you will help me spread the word as the Center prepares to find my replacement.

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On the web this week...Gothic Days

2010-06-09T11:55:00.000-05:00

Don't miss out on this weekends festivities. See the article from the Ottumwa Courier about all of the activities taking place.

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While you are in town for Gothic Days, stop by the visitor center to see the new exhibit on Grant Wood. KTVO did a short piece on it that can be viewed on their website at:

READ MORE

Upcoming events:

Friday-Sunday, June 11-13 - Gothic Days
- American Gothic House Art Contest
- 5K Walk / Run
- Bike Ride
- and much more!

On the web this week...New Exhibit Opening

2010-05-28T11:56:00.000-05:00

Today marks the opening of our new exhibit about Grant Wood. Join us tonight from 6-7 pm for the opening reception and meet Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret, publisher and editor of Nan Wood Graham's Biography on Grant Wood. KTVO posts the story here: READ MORE, and KTVO will have a sneak peak of the exhibit on tonights news, for those of you who won't be able to come to the exhibit.

Upcoming events:

Friday-Sunday, June 11-13 - Gothic Days
- American Gothic House Art Contest
- 5K Walk / Run
- Bike Ride
- and much more!

On The Web This Week...Remembering Grant Wood

2010-05-17T11:57:00.000-05:00

Last month the John Deere Corporate Art Collection took over the fourth floor of the Figge Museum in Davenport. Most note worthy for our readers is the fact that the collection includes a few Grant Wood peices--Fall Plowing being one of the most recognized. The collection represented all of the cultures and contries where John Deere did business. READ MORE.

Also last month, Iowa City hosted a Grant Wood symposium for scholars to take a deeper look into the person Grant Wood. They looked at religious themes in his paintings, his sexuality and alcoholism, and his relationship to the community as seen through his work. One of the scholars, R. Trip Evans, has a new biography on Grant Wood that will be released this fall. READ MORE.

Upcoming events:

Friday, May 28 - New Grant Wood Exhibit Opening at the American Gothic House Center
Friday-Sunday, June 11-13 - Gothic Days
- American Gothic House Art Contest
- 5K Walk / Run
- Bike Ride
- and much more!