Field Trip Fun!

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

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!

Week One!

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

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!

Introducing Our New Administrator!

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

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!

Wildflowers, Pie and a Presentation

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!

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!

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

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

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!

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!

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!

Exhibit Opening!

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!

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.

An Eldon Artist?

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

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!

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.

Spring, is that you?

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

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!

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.

Help us reach our goal!

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!

Thank you for helping us reach our goal.

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 reserve your seat!

Grant Wood's Main Street

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

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 reserve your seat!

February: Not just for celebrating love!

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

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 reserve your seat!

Escape February with Hot Soup!

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

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!