October 24, 2011

Students in Judi McClure's Studio in Art class at the Middle School took a page out of art history with their own renditions of Grant Wood's American Gothic portrait from 1930, shown below.

Portraying a pitchfork-holding farmer and his daughter (though often mistaken to be his wife) in front of a house of Carpenter Gothic style, it is one of the most familiar images in 20th century American art.

Wood wanted to depict the traditional roles of men and women as the man is holding a pitchfork symbolizing hand labor. Wood referenced late 19th century photography and posed his sitters in a manner reminiscent of early American portraiture.

The grade 8 students participating this year are: Lily Becker, Karri Bellamy, Lilly Holcombe, Kelsey Jessup, Brooke Joy, Zac Ladouceur, Gracie Mailey, Nicole Rizzuto,  Lisa Smith and Bekah VanDerWerken.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is another way to view this iconic American portrait, courtesy of the Studio in Art students. Click on each image to enlarge it:

    
Lilly Becker                                                                            Karri Bellamy

    
Lily Holcombe                                                                        Kelsey Jessup

 

    
Brooke Joy                                                                            Zac Ladouceur    

 

    
Gracie Mailey                                                                          Nicole Rizzuto 

 

     Lisa Smith                                                                            Bekah VanDerWerken