Tell Me A Story: AMERICAN GOTHIC HOUSE

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

We rocked the American Gothic House.

Yes, we did.

Two daughters,

two dogs and I

escaped to Iowa

for our annual Christmas photo shoot.

Picture yourself in the most famous American painting,
American Gothic.

What will you wear?

What props will you bring?

The American Gothic Center offers costumes, glasses and hay forks for you to make your own parody of the painting. Their friendly staff will even help take your picture.

I wanted to visit the American Gothic House in Eldon, Iowa, for the past two years, and we finally did!

"I want to reach everyday people,

not just the artists and art critics of the world..."

Grant Wood,

American Gothic Artist

My daughters, Sarah and Faith and I packed our new sparkly-gold Christmas hats, a pink electric guitar, a red symphony violin, and Tilly and Pearl (two of our four puppies).

We drove four hours to Eldon, Iowa.

Carpenter Gothic is one of my favorite styles of architecture.

I started taking photos the moment I stepped out of the van.

This house is 133 years old.

It turned 100 years old in 1981.

It was built in 1881-82 by Catherine and Charles Dibble.

It caught the eye of the Iowa artist, Grant Wood., in 1930. It's a simple house, with something extraordinary:   two cathedral gothic windows.   Perhaps the Dibble family who built the house chose the gothic windows to add beauty to their everyday lives.

There are two gothic windows in the American Gothic House: one in the front and one in the back.

Back of the American Gothic House

It was worth it to bring Tilly and Pearl (our pups) along on the four hour ride. Now we have our own Puppy Parody at the American Gothic House.

American Gothic is the second most parodied painting in the world. The Mona Lisa is first.

Our Puppy Parody!

Pearl and Tilly

Sometimes the dogs are easier to work with than the family.

It all worked together for a fun trip and memorable photos.

We laughed so hard we cried,

and almost wet our pants

as we looked through our photos -

at our windblown hair and silly faces.

I almost vomited.

When was the last time YOU laughed that hard?

Parodies on floor tiles at American Gothic Center

We spent almost four hours taking photos

at the American Gothic House in Eldon, Iowa.

Side and Back Views of the American Gothic House

Center Gift Shop

We had to have an American Gothic House T-shirt!

"All the good ideas I ever had

came to me while I was milking a cow."

Grant Wood, Artist

"I want to reach everyday people,

not just the artists and art critics of the world..."

Grant Wood,

American Gothic Artist

People from all over the world

visit the American Gothic House in Eldon, Iowa.

Pins on the maps represent visitors' homes.

There is NO CHARGE

to visit the

American Gothic House.

There is NO CHARGE

to borrowcostumes, glasses and hayforks for your photos.

There is NO CHARGE

for their friendly staff to help take your photo.

There is a donation box so we can

show our appreciation for the

American Gothic House and Center.

Mar 02, 2012

... in the nineteenth century. Probably the best-known example of Carpenter Gothic is the house in Eldon, Iowa, that American painter, Grant Wood (1891-1942)used for the background of his famous painting American Gothic.

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Artist Grant Wood's dream continues to be realized as everyday people - like my family - visit the American Gothic House.

American Gothic House

Phone (641-652-3352


Email	TheAmericanGothicHouse@gmail.com
Website	http://www.AmericanGothicHouse.net

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanGothicHouse/info

Come to Eldon, Iowa and view the house that inspired Grant Wood to paint American Gothic, one of the most recognized paintings in the world.

Description

Strike your own American Gothic pose in front of the house that inspired Iowa artist Grant Wood to begin his most famous painting. Costumes and pitchfork are provided by the American Gothic House Center!

Enjoy educational exhibits and videos on Grant Wood, view a fascinating collection of American Gothic parodies, and pin your town on our map. Find prints, postcards, books, clothing and other memorabilia in the gift shop.

Admission to the American Gothic House Center is free!

There are no hotels in Eldon, Iowa.

We were going to stay in Ottumwa, Iowa (the nearest hotels) - but were so close to our beloved Pella, Iowa, that we drove another 45 minutes north to Pella for more poses by the windmills and sunken gardens.

Watch for my upcoming blogs about the specialty shops and our next Christmas photo shoot in Pella, Iowa...a touch of Holland.