Artist of the Month: Grant Wood

Artist of the Month: Grant Wood

Grant Wood, one of the foremost Regionalist artist of the 20th century. He loved painting the people and landscapes of the American Midwest. Wood was a versatile artist. In addition to oil painting, he created murals, lithographs, woodworking, jewelry, metalsmith, portraiture and home decorating. Throughout his short career, Wood painted approximately 108 paintings.

Fall Plowing 1931
oil on canvas
John Deere Collection, Illinois
In this painting, Wood is paying
homage to the newly developed
walking plough and steel plowshare.
(public domain image)

Fast Facts:
Birth: February 13, 1891 Anamosa, Iowa
Death:  February 12, 1942 Iowa City, Iowa - 50 years of age
Works of art: paintings. metalsmith,
jewelry, furniture design
Medium: oil paint on masonite panels
Art Classification: Regionalism
Best Known: American Gothic, 1930

Interesting Tidbits:
Favorite: as a boy his favorite subject was barnyard chickens and as an adult, he loved to wear overalls.
Family: Two brothers and one sister. He was born on a farm. When he was 10, his family moved to Cedar Rapids when his father died.
Early years:  Briefly served in WWI, taught school

Training:  School of Design, Handicraft, and Normal Art (now the Minneapolis School of Art and Design) | School of the Art Institute, Chicago | Académie Julian, Paris, France

Career:  Director of the Public Works of Art Projects in Iowa
University of Iowa - Associate Professor of Fine Art

Travels: 4 trips to Europe - France, Italy, Germany. In Munich, Germany, Wood help fabricate a large stained glass window at the Emil Frei Art Glass studio (1928).

Grant Wood entered American Gothic into a competition at the Art Institute of Chicago. Wood won 3rd place and $300 for the painting (approx $5800 today). It became an instant sensation and thrust Wood into the national spotlight. American Gothic is one of the best-known American works of art and has become the source for countless parodies. I'm sure you have seen some of them!
The figures were modeled after his sister, Nan Wood Graham, and his dentist, Byron McKeeby.
The word "Gothic" refers to the architectural style of the house.

"Can You" Create Activities!

CREATE a fall landscape.

CREATE a work of art based on a fall community activity.

CREATE your own "American Gothic" Use the same basic positions of the two figures but change the scenery and clothing.

WRITE a poem, song, or story expressing what you love about your town, city, community.