Visiting Grant Wood Studio, Cedar Rapids IA

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The name Grant Wood is no doubt unfamiliar to most of you. He was a noted artist who created arguably the most famous and acclaimed American painting: “American Gothic” (1930). You have all seen the image of the pitchfork holding farmer standing next to his wife. The subjects were actually Wood’s dentist and sister. Wood pained “American Gothic” among others at this studio where he also lived with his mother and sister from 1924 to 1935. He was pretty much the struggling artist finding a wealthy benefactor who let him live and work upstairs over a carriage house. This was the artist’s most productive period and he left to accept a teaching position which he did until his 1942 death. The visitors center is in the ground floor and offers the proverbial biographical video. This is two story brick structure and you walk up narrow outdoor wooden stairs designed by Wood to access the loft. The most striking aspect to the loft is being less than 1000 square feet and three people residing there. There is plenty of artist’s light from the turret dome overhead. Wood floors and everything else is original. The artist designed all interior features including the small brick fireplace, metalwork over the heater and abundant cabinet space. Everything is tiny. He designed tiny kitchen and bathroom. His mother slept in a tiny bedroom while he and his sister slept in the main room. The loft is interesting and unique looking in appearance and to think one of the world’s most recognized paintings was created right there. Wood seems to have been a “one hit wonder” with “American Gothic” but he is renown for his paintings of rural Iowa farmlands. The native Iowan did not achieve fame or wealth in his lifetime. In fact, Wood sold “American Gothic” outright for $300 to the Chicago Art Institute where it hangs today.