Of Masters, Volunteers, Potlucks and a Noble Chief

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

        Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

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

Art is meant to inspire, and move

September Twelfth, 2001

Two caught on film who hurtle

from the eighty-second floor,

choosing between a fireball

and to jump holding hands,

aren't us. I wake beside you,

stretch,scratch, taste the air,

the incredible coffee

and the morning light.

Alive, we open eyelids

on our pitiful share of time,

we bubbles rising and bursting

in a boiling pot.                                                         

X.J. Kennedy

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

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

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

To a Daughter Leaving Home

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

Linda Pastan

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

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

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

Good old days? Hardly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Steamer tour heats up American Gothic House

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

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

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

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

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

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

A word about the volunteers:

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

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

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

Brian Chambers

Media Coordinator

The American Gothic House Center

641.652.3352

Wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com

So much depends upon…

The Red Wheelbarrow

so much depends

upon  

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain  
water

beside the white
chickens

William Carlos Williams

1923  

Over the years this poem has remained a favorite of mine, primarily because it is so simple and paints a vivid image. Williams was an early pioneer in the Imagist poetry movement in America and, like Wood with art, believed poetry written by Americans should reflect American culture, not European, as was the trend at the time. According to www.poets.org, which is published by The Academy of Poets, “Williams sought to invent an entirely fresh—and singularly American—poetic, whose subject matter was centered on the everyday circumstances of life and the lives of common people.” Sound familiar?

Since I have been at the American Gothic House Center this poem came back up on my radar and I wondered if Wood might have read it somewhere along the line. Published in the years before Wood helped launch the Regionalism Art movement, he very well could have run across it across it in casual reading and perhaps it made him think about what Williams was trying to accomplish, and, in turn, he set out to do the same thing only on canvas.

There is another parallel here that just can’t be overlooked, the first line of the poem, “so much depends.” Williams believed that so much depended upon the normality of the things and the objects and acts people take for granted—images that a part of the American life. Of like mind, Wood did the same. Pick any of Wood’s works in the 1930s and this can be seen, American Gothic, Woman with Plants, Spring in Town, the list goes on.

When I was pondering this poem Fall Plowing came to mind. At the time so much depended on fall plowing, as it was the belief the earth needed to lay fallow in order for a new rotation of crops to thrive the following spring. Turning farm ground with a plow every year after the harvest has gone by the wayside, but nonetheless farmers across the country prepare their fields in some manner after harvest to ensure a healthy crop the next year. After all, so much depends on it.

One last parallel should also be noted, Williams gained fame in the 1930s but was overlooked until the 1950s and 60s when the public and other poets became more aware of the simplicity and accessibility of his prose. As too with Wood’s art. But something just as important also came to the forefront, the uniquely American focus of their art because both understood the importance of America and American culture and realized that so much depends on the simple, necessary things like plowing the ground or even a red wheelbarrow.

Brian Chambers

Media Coordinator

The American Gothic House Center

wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com

Heat does little to deter visitors

It appears the relentless heat has abated for the present and what a relief it is. To paraphrase my favorite comedian, Johnny Carson, it has been so hot recently that when I stopped by Burger King and ordered a hamburger, the clerk said if I wanted my way I would have to cook it myself.

People that keep track of these things say that July was the hottest month on record for decades in this part of the state, and just a drive along a cornfield will attest to this. Where normally cornstalks rise to over eight feet and have ripe ears dangling, they are now parched and blistered with hardly an ear in sight.

Recently I read an article about the summer of 1936 and how hot and dry it was that year. (In 1936 Grant Wood painted Spring Turning, as well as The Practical Idealist and The Sentimental Yearner featured in Sinclair Lewis’s illustrated version of Main Street, evidently the heat didn’t slow him down much.) I remember Dad talking about that summer and he had little good to say about it, so I at least was aware of the conditions. This was in the time long before air conditioning and only the well-to-do had electric fans. Not only did the Iowa farmers have the heat and the drought to contend with, to make things worse a plague of grasshoppers and cinch bugs destroyed whatever crop was left after the heat had its turn. Talk about miserable bad luck.

One thing the heat did not impact much on was the number of visitors at the American Gothic House and Center. Sure, on the hottest days there wasn’t quite as much traffic as cooler days (of which there was but a handful in July and the first of August) but they still kept coming. Stepping from the air conditioned comfort of their cars onto the blistering parking lot of the Center I would often wonder what they were thinking—do you folks know how hot it is? But still they came. And from all over. One afternoon there were five cars in the parking lot sporting license plates from five separate states: Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Indiana and Texas. When I remarked about the heat to the Texan she said it wasn’t anything compared to where she was from (it was 117 the day she left). I guess 102 degrees is better than 117 degrees, but to me the difference is negligible.

In my short time here I marvel daily at all the folks that get off the beaten path and wind through the country to Eldon just to seek out the American Gothic House, tour the Center and step outside to have their picture taken—no matter what the temperature is—all the while smiling and having a good time. It’s good to be a part of that. 

 

Brian Chambers

Media Coordinator

American Gothic House Center

641-652-3352

wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com

Words of Grant Wood Ring True

Hello, my name is Brian Chambers. As Holly mentioned in the last newsletter I have been hired as the Media Coordinator for Wapello County to help promote cultural and tourism attractions in Wapello County, of which the American Gothic House is a significant part.

I was drawn to this position in large part to The American Gothic House, The American Gothic House Center and Grant Wood, of whom I am a fan, not only of his arts, but also of some of the things he said. One of Wood’s quotes is, “I had to go to France to appreciate Iowa.” I can relate to this as over the 20 years I spent in the US Army I had the opportunity to travel to many places, and although I enjoyed every trip (this was during peace time, my wife and son, who both served tours in the Mideast, probably can’t say the same) each time I left I gained a greater appreciation for our state.

Another favorite of mine is, “All the good ideas I ever had came to me while milking a cow,” also takes me back to the time I milked for a farmer while in high school. I don’t know if I had any good ideas while milking, but I do remember my mind wandering quite a bit in the cold barn.

Few people capture our state and culture as Grant Wood does and therefore I am looking forward to my time here and please feel free to email me at wapellocountymediacoordinator@gmail.com if you have any questions or ideas. Meanwhile I will be getting acquainted with the workings of the America Gothic House Center and the other cultural and tourism attractions in Wapello County.

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

Introducing our new Media Coordinator!

As announced a few weeks ago in the newsletter, Wapello County received an Iowa Community Cultural Grant to hire a part-time media coordinator.  I’m happy to report that we have now hired someone for the position!  Brian Chambers of Eddyville will start tomorrow as media coordinator for Wapello County.  Brian will be bringing a wealth of experience with him and I’m happy to have him on board. 

Brian will work 28 hours per week, half of those working directly with projects at the American Gothic House Center.  At the Center he will assist with the promotion of tours, educational programs, and assist with social media and photography of our events.  He might even write a newsletter or two along the way! 

In addition to his work here, Brian will promote the numerous other cultural and tourism attractions and events in Wapello County. Examples of these include the Airpower Museum, Ottumwa Community Players, Wapello County Historical Society, Naval Air Station project, and Wapello County Conservation Board.  The ultimate goal is for the American Gothic House Center and these additional entities attain more participation, merchandise sales, and fundraising.

Brian’s first day will tomorrow, July 27, so expect to hear more in the coming week and months!

Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center


641-652-3352
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Restoration work taking place at the American Gothic House

The American Gothic House is getting some necessary TLC!  Work will begin on Monday, July 9 to do restoration on the porch, banisters, siding, and wood features of the house.  The work (dependent on weather of course!) is predicted to last through August. 

Though this work will inevitably affect some visitor’s photo opportunities, this work is very important to maintain the historic integrity of the house.  Myself, the contractor, and carpenter, Jason Snyder, (who will be performing the work) have discussed a plan to have the restoration work occur in stages and during our off-peak hours to accommodate visitors as much as possible…but if you’ve been here you know people come at all times, all days, and all seasons!  

I hope visitors will understand the need for this work to occur.  I will keep our website, newsletter, and Facebook updated on the restoration progress to help interested parties plan their visits.  If you have questions or concerns about the restoration work, please feel free to call or e-mail me at the information below.   

Holly Berg

Administrator

American Gothic House Center

641-652-3352

TheAmericanGothicHouse@gmail.com

Iowa Community Cultural Grant provides support for American Gothic House Center

Late Friday afternoon I received wonderful news!  The Iowa Community Cultural Grant (ICCG) program announced it will fund a project to help promote cultural events and attractions throughout Wapello County for the next year.  The grant awards $8,000 to Wapello County to hire a part-time Media/Publicity Coordinator.  The coordinator will market events here at the American Gothic House Center in addition to other organizations in the County such as the Airpower Museum, Wapello County Historical Museum, Ottumwa Community Players and other cultural groups.

The coordinator will also help to aid collaboration between these organizations to determine how the American Gothic House Center and other organizations can cooperate and pool resources so these organizations can attain more admissions, merchandise sales and/or fundraising so they can continue to contribute to the county’s quality of life.

The overall project is titled the “Wapello County Cultural Media Campaign” and is the result of the collaboration of the Wapello County Board of Supervisors, American Gothic House Center, and Ottumwa Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB).  The ICCG is a program of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs that provides cash support for the employment of Iowans who through those jobs spur the development and appreciation of arts, cultural, ethnic, historical and tourism activities.

The coordinator will be hired to work 22 hours per week, half of those hours at the American Gothic House Center and the other half at the CVB office.  I am thrilled for this wonderful opportunity!  It will be of great value to have support from a second staff person to promote the American Gothic House Center and the great things we have to offer!

More information about the position can be found at our website www.AmericanGothicHouse.net.  Any questions regarding the position can be directed to Mark Eckman of the Ottumwa Area CVB at 641.684.4303 or Holly Berg of the American Gothic House Center at 641.652.3352.

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!

Summer has arrived at AGHC

Whew!  We’ve made it through another fun-filled American Gothic Days weekend!  We had a wonderful turnout for all three of our events:  American Gothic Art Contest, 5K Run/Walk, and Bike Ride. 
You can see pictures from our events on our Facebook page by clicking here:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Gothic-House/80025816448
After you go to our page simply click on photos and you will see albums for each event.


Yesterday marked the beginning of summer, but it feels like summer has been here for a couple of months already!  The poor wildflowers have been very confused by the early spring and summer.  If you stop by you’ll see many of our late summer and fall flowers are already blooming!  Our balloon flowers (my personal favorite) began to bloom this week, a month or so ahead of schedule!  The picture on the left shows one of our balloon flowers.  I love how they look just like a hot air balloon right before they bloom!






If you are planning on visiting this weekend, please note the Pitchfork Pie Stand will be closed this weekend, June 23/24, as Beth will be at the American Library Association conference in California. But she will be open every weekend after that until Labor Day. Check her web page for updates:  www.theworldneedsmorepie.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!

American Gothic House Center Turns Five!

This weekend marks the 42nd year of American Gothic Days…AND the American Gothic House Center’s 5th anniversary!  It is wonderful to look back and see all that has been accomplished over the last five years. 


Since opening, the Center has hosted over 52,000 visitors from all 50 states and 52 countries.  Over 4,000 students and other groups have toured the Center and Center staff and volunteers have given over 75 programs both at the Center and at other schools and institutions.  Also important to note—volunteers have donated more than 6,000 hours of their time since opening--which doesn’t include the countless hours given to make their dream a reality!


Thank you to everyone who has helped the Center to become a success over the last five years and we hope for many more years to come!


And while celebrating our milestone we will also be celebrating Iowa Museum Week!  Governor Terry Branstad has proclaimed June 11-17, 2012 as Iowa Museum Week.  


Nationally:
--Museums rank among the top three family vacation destinations
--Visitors to historic sites & cultural attractions stay 53% longer and spend 36% more money than other kinds of tourists.
--Cultural & heritage activities account for more than 23% of all domestic trips recorded by the tour & travel industry
--When making a decision to relocate, businesses factor in access to cultural resources that includes a dynamic museum community according to research by the National Governors Association.


For more information detailing the importance of Iowa Museums see this flier put out by the Iowa Museum Association http://www.iowamuseums.org/UserDocs/Pages/Iowa_Museum_Week_Flier_2012.pdf

Upcoming events:
June 8-10:  American Gothic Days
Art Contest
5K Run/Walk
Bike Ride


Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

John Duggleby gets “up close” to Grant Wood

Saturday we were fortunate to host John Duggleby, author of children’s book “Artist in Overalls:  The Life of Grant Wood”.  I found out last fall that John was going to be in the neighborhood giving presentations in Burlington and Mount Pleasant, so I was able to book him to give his program “American Gothic in Your Face:  Grant Wood Up Close”.
We set up in front of the American Gothic House and hoped for a clear day.  John said giving his program in front of THE house was on his bucket list, so I was thrilled the weather cooperated to make his dream a reality!

Duggleby came sauntering out of the American Gothic House and was dressed the part—in overalls and jacket carrying a pitchfork.  John focused a lot of Grant Wood’s childhood and his love of art from an early age.  He spoke about how Wood struggled to find his place in the art world as an adult and his struggle to make art his profession.

John showed a lot of Wood’s paintings during his presentation with assistance from our young volunteer Katelyn.  It was her first day on the job as a volunteer at the Center.  I think the bar was set pretty high for her first volunteer experience.  She asked her mom when they could come back to volunteer next.  I better find something at least half as fun to do next time she’s here!







At the end John demonstrated an easy way to draw a chicken (as Grant Wood enjoyed to do as a child) and everyone in the audience had a chance to follow along.  Here is my finished chicken (and if you knew my usual art skill you would be impressed)!

To see more pictures from Saturday check out our Facebook page.
Thank you to the Ottumwa Area Arts Council for sponsoring this program!


Now that one event is finished its time to prepare for the next!  Please join us Friday, May 18 at 6:00pm for the unveiling of our new outdoor exhibit area.  As many of you know, visitors come to see the house at all hours—and unfortunately we can’t be open 24 hours a day!  This new exhibit will allow us to reach and educate more visitors!  The exhibit will feature a fun new way to interact with visitors.  Each exhibit panel will feature Quick-Response (Q-R) Codes that allows visitors with smart phones to quickly access information on our website as well as go directly to our Facebook page to post pictures from their visit!  We will demonstrate how this new technology works at the exhibit opening.  This exhibit is made possible by grants from Humanities Iowa and Central Iowa Tourism Region.

Upcoming events:
May 18:  New exhibit opening, 6:00-7:00pm
June 8-10:  American Gothic Days
Art Contest
5K Run/Walk
Bike Ride


Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Geocachers Go Gothic

Last Thursday I had every intention of writing the newsletter. I had sat down to my computer at lunchtime (when it is usually fairly quiet this time of the year) to begin writing when one car, then another, then another, then ANOTHER pulled up outside. This continued until the parking lot was full and I was leaping to the phone to call some volunteers for backup! I quickly found out where they all came from—or rather where they were going. The carloads of visitors were on their way to Moravia, Iowa to attend MOGA (Midwest Open Geocaching Adventure). For those that don’t know, geocaching is a game where people hunt for “treasures” using GPS devices. One visitor said that about 1500 geocachers were set to attend the event in Moravia over the weekend!

So how does the house fit into this? The American Gothic House happens to be a “virtual cache” that has been here for around 10 years. Geocachers must take a picture of themselves holding their GPS in front of the house to log that they found the cache. The gentleman who placed the cache even stopped by on Friday and took this picture (or rather two pictures he combined). 

He placed the cache before the Center was open, and said he had realized something had been built since he last visited as many people donned costumes in their photos and talked about the visitor center, so he had to come see for himself!

I looked on the geocache site to see pictures visitors have logged at the house. You can see all of them (255 geocachers have logged their visit!) here: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=cfc4142c-9bf9-4af5-a58f-eedc92331b03

All of the geocachers who stopped by were great to meet and visit with…and definitely kept us busy through the weekend! On Monday some of the final visitors with MOGA stopped by and showed me their event logo, which featured their mascot in front of the American Gothic House! So thanks to all of the MOGA attendees for stopping by! 







Upcoming events:
May 5: "American Gothic in Your Face: Grant Wood Up Close"--Presentation by John Duggleby at 2:00pm May 18: New exhibit opening, 6:00-7:00pm
June 8-10: American Gothic Days-Art Contest, 5K Run/Walk, Bike Ride

Grant Wood Symposium Recap

Grant Wood Symposium Recap

My head is still reeling with all of the new Grant Wood information I learned Saturday at the Grant Wood Symposium! Several scholars gave presentations Saturday morning on an array of Grant Wood-themed subjects. I could go on and on for pages about all of the presentations, but I’ll try to keep it down to just the highlights!

Shirley Reece-Hughes of the Amon Carter Museum (who owns Parson Weem’s Fable, one of my favorite Grant Wood works), gave a wonderful presentation on Grant Wood’s relationship to the theater. Wood became drawn to the theater at an early age after his first trip to the Anamosa Opera House where he saw a performance of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. Growing up (and through his adult life) he often assisted in the designing and painting of backdrops for plays. One of his backdrops is still in existence in McKinley Middle School in Cedar Rapids! I found a picture of the backdrop here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clpeterson68/4735587126/. Wood and his friend and colleague Marvin Cone also wrote a play while they were in high school titled “Strings”.

Erika Doss from the University of Notre Dame highlighted how Hollywood was influenced by Grant Wood in the 1930s and 40s. Several famous people were buying works by Wood during this time—actress Katharine Hepburn (Near Sundown), songwriter Cole Porter (Death on Ridge Road), and actor Edward G. Robinson purchased Daughters of Revolution. Wood later gave Robinson a print of Shriner’s Quartet after they became pen pals of sorts. Filmmaker King Vidor also collected several of his works and Doss showed the relationship between Wood’s works and scenes in Vidor’s films.

For those that were not able to go on this year’s bus trip I believe video from the Symposium will be made available on the University of Iowa’s Art and Art History Department’s website. Until then, you can watch video from the 2010 Symposium here: http://www.art.uiowa.edu/gw_symp_2010.html


Upcoming events:

April 28: Spring Cleaning Day/New Volunteer Introduction, 8:00am-12:00pm

May 5: "American Gothic in Your Face: Grant Wood Up Close"--Presentation by John Duggleby at 2:00pm

May 18: New exhibit opening, 6:00-7:00pm

June 8-10: American Gothic Days




Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Baseball During the Grant Wood Era

In my mind Grant Wood and baseball go together like peas and carrots…and I’m not just saying that because I’m distracted by the fact that today is Opening Day for my beloved Chicago Cubs. Because Opening Day is my favorite day of the year I hope you don’t mind my tangent in today’s post!

Many of Grant Wood’s works invoke memories of simpler times gone by. Wood used to say that he drew ideas for his paintings reminiscing from his time living on the family farm when he was a child. When visitors stop by they often tell me stories from their childhoods while pointing out an element from one of Wood’s prints hanging on the wall. Some of the gentlemen even inspect the pitchforks we use as props to see if they have the appropriate credentials (initials scraped into the wood near the top of the handle).

Baseball has the same effect on many people. Each year Opening Day causes people to recollect on days gone by—your first time at a major league game, that great hit that won you the ballgame…maybe even the time you caught a foul ball in the stands (something that I STILL haven’t accomplished).

And I can say after working here for a year now, that in the minds of tourists, nothing says “Iowa” more than Grant Wood and baseball. All summer long families and retirees travelling the countryside have these two things on their mind—the American Gothic House and the Field of Dreams. Countless visitors make these two stops of part of their Iowa “bucket list”.

Perhaps baseball wasn’t really Grant Wood’s idea of a good time, but by the time Grant Wood was an up-and-coming artist baseball was Iowa’s (and America’s) pastime. “The WPA Guide to 1930s Iowa” discusses the popularity of baseball at the time, noting its rise in popularity and the change from being an “informal Sunday afternoon game in the back pasture” to a “highly commercialized sport”. Shops in towns across Iowa would even close during home games so everyone could go down to the ball diamond.

And now, for anyone who is interested, a few fun baseball facts during the Grant Wood era:

When Grant Wood was a child growing up in Cedar Rapids, so was Earl Whitehill. A native of Cedar Rapids (though just a couple of years younger than Wood), he went on to play 17 seasons of Major League Baseball—first for the Detroit Tigers in 1923, then the Indians, and then the Senators, and ended in 1940 with one season as a Chicago Cub.

In the same year as Grant Wood painted “American Gothic” Iowa made baseball history with the first ever professionally played night game. On May 2, 1930, a crowd of almost 12,000 watched the Des Moines Demons took on the Wichita Aviators (and won) at this historic event.

Also, a fun item to note is that from 1904-1932 the Cedar Rapids minor league team was called the Cedar Rapids Bunnies. They then had the more fierce sounding Cedar Rapids Raiders from 1934-1942. Maybe as a child Grant Wood even saw a Bunnies game or two!

And for anyone who is a fan of history and/or baseball, I stumbled across some footage of the University of Iowa baseball team from around the time that Grant Wood began teaching there!
http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/ictcs&CISOPTR=7022




Don't forget tomorrow is the last day to sign up for the Grant Wood Bus Trip!
Upcoming events:

April 14: Grant Wood Bus Trip

April 28: Spring Cleaning Day/New Volunteer Introduction

June 8-10: American Gothic Days

Art Contest

5K Run/Walk

Bike Ride



Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Baseball During the Grant Wood Era

In my mind Grant Wood and baseball go together like peas and carrots…and I’m not just saying that because I’m distracted by the fact that today is Opening Day for my beloved Chicago Cubs. Because Opening Day is my favorite day of the year I hope you don’t mind my tangent in today’s post!

Many of Grant Wood’s works invoke memories of simpler times gone by. Wood used to say that he drew ideas for his paintings reminiscing from his time living on the family farm when he was a child. When visitors stop by they often tell me stories from their childhoods while pointing out an element from one of Wood’s prints hanging on the wall. Some of the gentlemen even inspect the pitchforks we use as props to see if they have the appropriate credentials (initials scraped into the wood near the top of the handle).

Baseball has the same effect on many people. Each year Opening Day causes people to recollect on days gone by—your first time at a major league game, that great hit that won you the ballgame…maybe even the time you caught a foul ball in the stands (something that I STILL haven’t accomplished).

And I can say after working here for a year now, that in the minds of tourists, nothing says “Iowa” more than Grant Wood and baseball. All summer long families and retirees travelling the countryside have these two things on their mind—the American Gothic House and the Field of Dreams. Countless visitors make these two stops of part of their Iowa “bucket list”.

Perhaps baseball wasn’t really Grant Wood’s idea of a good time, but by the time Grant Wood was an up-and-coming artist baseball was Iowa’s (and America’s) pastime. “The WPA Guide to 1930s Iowa” discusses the popularity of baseball at the time, noting its rise in popularity and the change from being an “informal Sunday afternoon game in the back pasture” to a “highly commercialized sport”. Shops in towns across Iowa would even close during home games so everyone could go down to the ball diamond.

And now, for anyone who is interested, a few fun baseball facts during the Grant Wood era:

When Grant Wood was a child growing up in Cedar Rapids, so was Earl Whitehill. A native of Cedar Rapids (though just a couple of years younger than Wood), he went on to play 17 seasons of Major League Baseball—first for the Detroit Tigers in 1923, then the Indians, and then the Senators, and ended in 1940 with one season as a Chicago Cub.
In the same year as Grant Wood painted “American Gothic” Iowa made baseball history with the first ever professionally played night game. On May 2, 1930, a crowd of almost 12,000 watched the Des Moines Demons took on the Wichita Aviators (and won) at this historic event.
Also, a fun item to note is that from 1904-1932 the Cedar Rapids minor league team was called the Cedar Rapids Bunnies. They then had the more fierce sounding Cedar Rapids Raiders from 1934-1942. Maybe as a child Grant Wood even saw a Bunnies game or two!
And for anyone who is a fan of history and/or baseball, I stumbled across some footage of the University of Iowa baseball team from around the time that Grant Wood began teaching there!
http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/ictcs&CISOPTR=7022




Don't forget tomorrow is the last day to sign up for the Grant Wood Bus Trip!
Upcoming events:

April 14: Grant Wood Bus Trip

April 28: Spring Cleaning Day/New Volunteer Introduction

June 8-10: American Gothic Days

Art Contest

5K Run/Walk

Bike Ride



Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

AGHC on the Road!

The Center has had quite a few program and speaking requests lately! I've been giving presentations to community clubs and organizations, as well as in-classroom programs in different school districts. It is definitely fun to go out and speak to these groups and share the history of the painting and the house, as well as tell them about all of the great things we do here at the Center!

Tonight I'm travelling to Iowa City to give a presentation at the Old Capitol Museum at the University of Iowa. The talk is titled: "Going 'Gothic' Again and Again: Grant Wood's repeated references to the American Gothic House and other elements through his work" and will take place at 6:30pm. If you are in the area please feel free to come!

If you are in the Ottumwa area I will also be speaking to the Reminisce Society at the Ottumwa Public Library on Tuesday, April 24 at 10:00am.

And don't forget the "Making Piece" book launch party this Saturday from 2:00-3:00pm at the American Gothic House Center!


Upcoming events:

March 31, 2pm-3pm: “Making Piece” Book Launch Party

April 14: Grant Wood Bus Trip

April 28: Spring Cleaning Day/New Volunteer Introduction

June 8-10: American Gothic Days

Art Contest

5K Run/Walk

Bike Ride



Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com

Spring is in the air!

Spring has definitely arrived at the American Gothic House. The day lilies are already up a few inches, and I even ran into quite a few bees yesterday when I was working in the gardens!

With the mild winter we stayed busier than usual over the last few months, and with the warm, sunny days this week it is feeling like the summer rush is just around the corner!

To prepare for the busy season, we are having our annual Spring Cleaning Sale this Saturday from 1-4pm. Stop by and save 10% on non-consignment items and save up to 50% on selected items! This is a great time to pick up something you’ve had your eye on for awhile!

Also, sticking with our “spring cleaning” theme, we will be having a Spring Cleaning Day on Saturday, April 28. Current and new volunteers are welcome to help out between 8am-noon as we spruce up the Center to prepare for the busy season ahead! I’ll even make lunch for everyone who participates! If you are interested in becoming a volunteer this would be a great time to get involved and learn what volunteers do when they help out. If you plan on attending please call me at 641.652.3352 so I can plan for lunch.

Don’t forget to sign up for the American Gothic House Center’s annual Grant Wood Bus Trip! 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!



Upcoming events:

March 17, 1pm-4pm: Spring Cleaning Sale

10% off all non-consignment items and 50% off select items!

March 31, 2pm-3pm: “Making Piece” Book Launch Party

April 14: Grant Wood Bus Trip

June 8-10: American Gothic Days

Art Contest

5K Run/Walk

Bike Ride



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!

Our Mission: Integrating the puzzle pieces of American Gothic

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

A “new” work by Grant Wood?

An interesting article came to my attention this week by art historian Henry Adams, where he makes the case for a “new” work by Grant Wood. The controversy lies in a piece titled “Landscape with a River and Hills”. Though not previously included in Wood’s repertoire, this work is thought by several art historians to indeed be by Grant Wood… perhaps an unfinished piece of his. Though the piece includes many elements that are often utilized in other works by Wood, the work is rougher than his other, more detailed pieces (which is why it is thought to be unfinished).

You can see the work and read the case for the painting by Henry Adams and come to your own conclusion! http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/art/2012/03/the-case-for-a-new-grant-wood-painting/

Also, make sure to add the “Making Piece” Book Launch Party to your calendars!

Join author Beth Howard on Saturday, March 31 from 2:00-3:00pm for the launch of her new book "Making Piece: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Pie". When journalist Beth Howard’s young husband dies suddenly, she packs up the RV he left behind and hits the American highways. At every stop along the way—be it shooting a pie documentary or handing out free slices on the streets of Los Angeles, Beth uses pie as a way to reach out and find purpose. Ultimately, Howard returns to her Iowa roots and creates the perfect synergy between two of America’s biggest icons—pie and the American Gothic House, the little white farmhouse immortalized in Grant Wood’s famous painting, where she now lives.

Come by to meet with Beth and have a slice of pie and coffee. Books will be available for purchase and Beth will be available for signing.

Upcoming events:

March 17, 1pm-4pm: Spring Cleaning Sale

10% off all non-consignment items and 50% off select items!

March 31, 2pm-3pm: “Making Piece” Book Launch Party

April 14: Grant Wood Bus Trip

June 8-10: American Gothic Days

Art Contest

5K Run/Walk

Bike Ride



Holly Berg

Administrator
American Gothic House Center
theamericangothichouse@gmail.com