Grant Wood Cultural District Unveiled

I'm now coming to you from the heart of the Grant Wood Cultural District.

I will try to sound more cultured from now on. Stop laughing.

The district was officially christened this afternoon in front of the old brick carriage house on Turner Alley off Second Avenue SE where Wood painted "American Gothic," his most iconic work.

You can look at a map of the district here.

Mayor Ron Corbett was not holding a pitchfork, sadly, but he did help unveil a cultural district sign that we'll be seeing around the downtown area. Many local officials, dignitaries, cultural leaders and development types looked on.

"Every town has to have a few favorite sons. Every town has to have a few favorite daughters. We're lucky to have Grant Wood as one of them," Corbett said before the unveiling.

For all the misfired boosterism we like to poke fun of from time to time, promoting Grant Wood's place in local history is actually appropriate and, as one of the speakers put it, "authentic."

Wood didn't just  breeze through, stop by, mention the city fondly or move away when he was young, never to return. He was born in Anamosa up the road, graduated from Washington High and lived a good chunk of his life in this town, including some of his most artistically creative years:

In addition to American Gothic, Wood created many of his most famous paintings in this studio, including Woman with Plants, 1929 (CRMA), Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, 1931 (Metropolitan Museum of Art), Daughters of the Revolution, 1932 (Cincinnati Art Museum), and Dinner for Threshers, 1934 (de Young Museum). These works made Wood an internationally famous artist and linked him with several other prominent Midwestern painters-notably John Steuart Curry and Thomas Hart Benton-who became known as Regionalists.

I learned something new about Wood today.

Local historian Mark Hunter mentioned that Wood, when he wasn't painting, making windows etc.,  founded the "Garlic Club." It met at a cafe that was located in what's now called The Heritage Building on Third Ave. SE near the tracks.

Hunter said the club was a gathering of artistic types,vaudevillians and actors who came through town for shows, including Ed Wynn. Its vicinity to the old train depot (see current, ugly parking garage) made it convenient for its traveling members.

Hunter said the name "Garlic Club," was a jab at all the upstanding lodges and fraternal orders around town.

Maybe someone will revive the Garlic Club. Who knows? I can think of worse historic preservation ideas. Count me in, even if acting competent is as close as I get to vaudeville.

The studio is open Saturday and Sunday from 12-4. through Dec. 31.