American Gothic Revisited...

An American icon painted by Iowa's most famous painter made it back home recently, and the whole state is turning out to welcome it. It is normally housed in the Chicago Art Institute, which makes no sense at all, but evidently they wanted it and the Des Moines Art Center didn't. Go figure. As far as I know, Des Moines owns only one Grant Wood, The Birthplace of Herbert Hoover, and even that one they share with Minneapolis. As the Good Book says, A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own people. Still, he is drawing large crowds this time around.

I am certain the original painting is quite familiar to everyone, so I have posted a rip off that my husband and I painted many years ago. Not too long ago - it was in the public domain so we were not arrested or anything, though from the look on our faces we could have been. It was purchased for a company picnic, and countless people stood behind the board and put their faces in the holes for a photo. People didn't have a lot of entertainment back then. Nowadays, it would all be done seamlessly on Photoshop.



I think they look a little better with smiles on their faces, but what do I know?