2009 American Gothic House Art Contest

Eldon—American Gothic House Center and Gothic Area Tourism of Eldon (GATE) join in sponsoring the fourth annual American Gothic House Art Contest during the 2009 American Gothic Days, June 12-14.

The art contest celebrates the American Gothic House used as the background in Grant Wood’s most famous painting American Gothic. Entries must include the American Gothic House in their work. The contest serves to promote greater awareness of the beauty of the little white board and batten house with its gothic window.

Submitted works will be returned. Minimum size is 8” x 10”—no maximum size. Contest is open to artists in the following five divisions:

• Kindergarten through Fifth Grade
• Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
• Ninth Grade through Twelfth Grade
• Adult Amateur
• Adult Professional

Prize money in the amount of $40 for 1st place and $20 for 2nd place will be awarded for each division, for a total of $300 in prize money—the same amount awarded to Grant Wood when he won third place for American Gothic at the art show at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Judging will take place Friday evening, with the exhibition planned for Saturday, June 13 from 11 am to 5 pm and Sunday, June 14 from 1 to 4 pm at the American Gothic House Center in Eldon, Iowa.

Official entry forms are due by May 15. Artwork must be delivered by June 1. For entry forms, complete rules and further information, contact Jessica Strom; 300 American Gothic St; Eldon, IA 52554; 641-652-3352; aghc@iowatelecom.net.

GATE is a nonprofit community betterment organization and no entry fee will be sought from submissions or participants.

• Who: Gothic Area Tourism of Eldon; American Gothic House Center
• What: 2009 American Gothic House Art Contest
• When: June 12-14 during the 2009 Eldon American Gothic Days
• Where: American Gothic House Center; 300 American Gothic St; Eldon, IA 52554
• Contact: Jessica Strom, 641-652-3352, aghc@iowatelecom.net

Gothic May Brunch

Eldon—The American Gothic House Center is hosting its fourth annual American Gothic May Brunch Saturday, May 2 from 10:00 – 11:30 am at the Eldon KD Center.

This year’s entertainment is performer Beverly Graves from Pella, Iowa who will keep you smiling with her quick wit and humor. So after the meal, sit back and be ready to laugh while enjoying the “Many Faces of Beverly Graves.”

Come one, come all and come hungry! The menu includes Spinach Quiche, Dream Coffee Cake and a serving of fresh fruit served with Coffee and Ice Tea. Seating is limited, so advance reservations are requested! Tickets are available at the American Gothic House Center and are $6.00 per person.

• Who: American Gothic House Center
• What: American Gothic May Brunch
• When: Saturday, May 2, 10:00 – 11:30 am
• Where: KD Center; 300 KD Ave; Eldon, IA 52554
• Contact: Jessica Strom, 641-652-3352, aghc@iowatelecom.net

"Grant Wood and Frank Lloyd Wright: Little Houses on the Prairie" lecture by Roy Behrens

Eldon— The American Gothic House Center received funding from Humanities Iowa, a private, non-profit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, to host a free lecture on Grant Wood and Frank Lloyd Wright: Little Houses on the Prairie by Roy Behrens at 6:00 pm on Thursday, April 23 at the Eldon Library Hall.

Grant Wood and Frank Lloyd Wright had similar influences: Japanese-inspired aesthetic principles, the Arts and Crafts Movement and Gothic Revival architecture. During this slide-illustrated, 45-minute talk, participants are invited to explore the parallels between the works of Wood and Wright, and how artists express human values, whatever the medium.

Roy R. Behrens is a professor of Art at the University of Northern Iowa, he teaches graphic design and design history. He is an editor and writer for periodicals and books and his writings have been featured on Nova (PBS), Equinox (BBC), Living in Iowa (IPTV) and BBC Radio. His most recent book is False Colors: Art, Design and Modern Camouflage (2002).

A cultural resource for Iowans since 1971, Humanities Iowa offers many cultural and historical programs and grants to Iowa’s communities.

• Who: American Gothic House Center
• What: “Grant Wood and Frank Lloyd Wright: Little Houses on the Prairie” lecture by Roy Behrens
• When: Thursday, April 23 at 6:00 pm
• Where: Eldon Library Hall
• Contact: Jessica Strom, 641-652-3352, aghc@iowatelecom.net

Landmarks close because of budget woes; Gothic House stays safe

In response to an article in the Des Moines Register Wednesday, March 25, Jeff Hutton from the Ottumwa Courier helps us set the story straight.

"ELDON — Several landmarks around the state are targeted to close because of state budget woes, but the American Gothic House and the American Gothic House Center are just fine, thank you."

Click on the title link to see the rest of the article.

IPTV Premiere of THIS AMERICAN GOTHIC

Eldon— Iowa Public Television to show Sasha Waters Freyer’s documentary This American Gothic at 5:40 pm on Sunday, March 29.

THIS AMERICAN GOTHIC is a quirky portrait of Eldon, Iowa, population 998, site of the house that inspired one of the most famous paintings in the world. The film follows a group of local women as they work towards their dream of a Gothic House Visitor Center to attract tourists and save their struggling community.

The ongoing fascination with the painting "American Gothic" suggests hunger for stories from rural America that THIS AMERICAN GOTHIC both taps into and exposes. What do these stories and images from the heartland symbolize? Why are they still so powerful, even in parody or myth? THIS AMERICAN GOTHIC explores the poignant irony of a rural America abandoned to economic hardship trying to rebuild itself through tourism that glorifies a happier, if largely imaginary, country past.

THIS AMERICAN GOTHIC uses interviews, direct cinema, animation, parodies and moving image portraiture to explore the complex, ambivalent nature of Grant Wood's famous painting, and to meditate upon observation, self-presentation and representation in painting, photography, history, and the documentary impulse itself.

Produced, directed & edited by Sasha Waters Freyer, Director of Photography by Meghan Sims and featuring Priscilla Coffman, Linda Durflinger, Donna Jeffrey, Brenda Kremer and Steve Siegel.

• Who: Iowa Public Television
• What: TV Premiere of THIS AMERICAN GOTHIC Documentary
• When: Sunday, March 29 at 5:40 PM
• Where: Your TV
• Contact: Jessica Strom, 641-652-3352, aghc@iowatelecom.net

American Gothic celebrated in Eldon

Eldon— The American Gothic House Center celebrates the visit of American Gothic to the Des Moines Art Center with a spring cleaning sale, bus trip and informal lecture from art scholar Wands Corn.

From now through Saturday, March 21, select items at the visitor center are on sale up to 50% off. On Saturday, March 21, enjoy the first ever spring cleaning sale with 10% off the entire store from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.

On Sunday, March 22 there is still room to join the bus trip to see the painting in person. Ottumwa Transit will depart Eldon from the American Gothic House at 11:30 am and they will depart Ottumwa from Bridge View Center at 12:00 noon. Cost of $15.00 covers the bus fare.

The celebration winds down with art scholar Wanda Corn, who will visit Eldon on Wednesday, March 25. She will speak to American Gothic House Center volunteers and supporters at 4:30 pm at the Eldon Library Hall. This informal lecture is free and open to the public. Corn is one of the most eminent scholars of late-19th- and early-20th-century American art and author of “Grant Wood’s American Gothic: Regionalist, Modernist, Internationalist.”

Corn will deliver her formal lecture at Levitt Auditorium in Des Moines on Thursday, March 26 at 6:30 pm. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact Jessica Strom at 641-652-3352.

• What: Spring Cleaning Sale
• When: Now through March 21, with 10% off March 21 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
• Where: American Gothic House Center

• What: Des Moines Bus Trip to see American Gothic
• When: Sunday, March 22 day trip – 11:30 am – 9:00 pm
• Where: Depart from the American Gothic House Center & Bridge View Center

• What: Wanda Corn Informal Lecturer
• When: Wednesday, March 25 at 4:30 pm
• Where: Eldon Library Hall

Art Institute admission raised to $18

"To gaze on Grant Wood's American Gothic will soon cost visitors to the Art Institute of Chicago $18."

Iowan's need to take advantage of having "American Gothic" at the Des Moines Art Center. Their doors are open free to the public, making this a limited opportunity to see the painting for free.

The American Gothic House Center will be taking a bus trip to see the painting on March 22. There will be a bus leaving from Eldon as well as Ottumwa. There are nearly 10 spots left for each bus.

"Was Iowa ever American Gothic?"

"The house is still there, but is the much-parodied icon still relevant to the Midwest?" Bill Glauber tells the story.

"To really understand the grip the painting has on the imagination of Iowans, and by extension Midwesterners, it pays to visit Eldon, population 956, around 100 miles southeast of Des Moines. Here are the keepers of the “American Gothic” flame, the people who live with the original home that forms the backdrop to the painting."

"American Gothic" Through a Sontag Lens

Interesting comments on "American Gothic."

"American Gothic has minimized the world's view of Iowa and Midwestern lifestyles forever. For people who have never visited Iowa but have seen American Gothic, Iowa seems to be a simple place with equally as simple, good (although not too happy), and hard-working people. To some, most Iowans live in a farmhouse in small towns like West Branch, and attend church every Sunday (if they notice the steeple in the background of Wood's painting that is). This may be true of SOME Iowans, but not ALL Iowans."

Anniversary of Grant Wood's Birthday

Grant Wood was born on a small farm near Anamosa, Iowa on February 13, 1891.

Key to Wood’s famous painting is adaptability

"ELDON — The American Gothic House Center will sponsor a trip to Des Moines on March 22 to view the original “American Gothic” painting."

Grant Wood Birthday Soup Smorgasbord

Saturday, February 7 was a beautiful day! About 50 people came out to the Eldon KD Center to enjoy some hot soup in celebration of the 118th Anniversary of Grant Wood's Birthday. The fundraiser brought in over $300 to help support projects for the American Gothic House Center.

Quiet Winter Day

It's a quiet winter day today at the American Gothic House Center...yet we still managed to get a couple of visitors from Delaware!

NEW DATE for this years Soup Smorgasbord

Eldon— Is there anything better than a bowl of steaming hot soup when it’s cold outside? We don’t think so.

Join the American Gothic House Center for some belly filling soup and soul satisfying company Saturday, February 7 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Eldon KD Center.

Our homemade soup smorgasbord will offer many to choose from, featuring potato cheese, chili, chicken and rice, ham and bean, broccoli cheese, and vegetable beef. As a side, take your pick from a variety of freshly baked breads, crisp vegetables and crackers.

In celebration of the 118th anniversary of Grant Wood’s birthday top it off with a piece of birthday cake while sipping on a hot cup of coffee.

Free will donations benefit projects for the American Gothic House Center.

“There is nothing like a bowl of hot soup, its wisp of aromatic steam teasing the nostrils into quivering anticipation.” -Louis P. De Gouy, The Soup Book (1949)

Exhibit will make you proud of heritage

I am excited to learn that the original “American Gothic” is coming to Iowa.

As readers travel to Des Moines to see the famous painting and the excellent exhibit at the Des Moines Art Center, I hope they remember that Eldon is the home of the house that inspired the painting.

The current exhibit at the American Gothic House Center teaches visitors about how Grant Wood came to visit Eldon, which led to his discovery of our little white house.

Please visit the center to brush up on our local history before traveling to see the original piece of art. It will make you proud of our southeast Iowa heritage.

Jessica Strom, Administrator
American Gothic House Center
300 American Gothic St.
Eldon

American Gothic painting coming to Des Moines

"Grant Wood’s famous painting, American Gothic, will be on display at the Des Moines Art Center.

Yep. The real painting, which is housed at the Chicago Art Institute, will be on view in Des Moines from Jan. 30 to March 29, 2009."

Eldon named a 2008 All-Star Community

"The Iowa League of Cities recognized the city of Eldon as a 2008 All‐Star Community at its Annual Conference & Exhibit, which was held in Council Bluffs from September 10 to 12."

This American Gothic

"OTTUMWA, IOWA -- A special premiere came to Ottumwa Sunday.

A documentary focusing on the second most parodied painting in the world was shown for the first time in Ottumwa on Sunday."

Ottumwa Premiere of THIS AMERICAN GOTHIC

Ottumwa— The Ottumwa Area Arts Council received funding from Humanities Iowa, a private, non-profit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, to host a free documentary called This American Gothic by Sasha Waters Freyer at 2:00 pm on Sunday, September 7 at Bridge View Center in Ottumwa. The event will be followed by a reception with an opportunity to ask questions and visit with the director as well as a chance to produce your own photo of “American Gothic.”

THIS AMERICAN GOTHIC is a quirky portrait of Eldon, Iowa, population 998, and site of the house that inspired one of the most famous paintings in the world. The film follows a group of local women as they work towards their dream of a Gothic House Visitors Center to attract tourists.

THIS AMERICAN GOTHIC uses interviews, direct cinema, animation, parodies and moving image portraiture to explore the complex, ambivalent nature of Grant Wood's famous painting, and to meditate upon observation, self-presentation and representation in painting, photography, history, and the documentary impulse itself.

Produced, directed & edited by Sasha Waters Freyer, Director of Photography by Meghan Sims and featuring Priscilla Coffman, Linda Durflinger, Donna Jeffrey, Brenda Kremer and Steve Siegel.

A cultural resource for Iowans since 1971, Humanities Iowa offers many cultural and historical programs and grants to Iowa’s communities.

Ottumwa Courier includes the American Gothic House when "Finding a good time in Iowa"

"There was the American Gothic House Center in Eldon, which is quite impressive. I think as time moves forward, more visitors will continue to appreciate what the center has to offer and I think it will mean an economic boost to the county."