This my entry in this week's Illutration Friday theme, "Cultivate". I thought this one had some potential for a goofy punchline. I particularly like how "cultivate" has an agrarian meaning and an art appreciation meaning.
« Reign Must Fall | Main | Book Cover Illustration Idea »
Say What?
About
John Cox is a painter, cartoonist, and illustrator for hire. For information about purchasing existing work or commissioning new work, contact him by e-mail at john555cox [at] hotmail.com.
Search
About This Page
This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on March 21, 2011 5:09 PM.
The previous post in this blog was Reign Must Fall.
The next post in this blog is Book Cover Illustration Idea.
Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.
Powered by
Movable Type 3.35
Movable Type 3.35
Comments (20)
"I particularly like how "cultivate" has an agrarian meaning and an art appreciation meaning."
What, the CULT part?
Posted by dicentra | March 21, 2011 5:47 PM
Posted on March 21, 2011 17:47
Love it John! Wonder if they like the painting?
Posted by Craniac | March 21, 2011 6:10 PM
Posted on March 21, 2011 18:10
Wow! Put a couple of dog collars on them and you'd have American Gothic!
Posted by GarandFan | March 21, 2011 6:20 PM
Posted on March 21, 2011 18:20
You mean like this, GF?
http://www.freakingnews.com/pictures/28500/Goth-American-Gothic-28842.jpg
Posted by Ed B | March 21, 2011 9:23 PM
Posted on March 21, 2011 21:23
I've never understood one thing about the original American Gothic painting... you have a farm couple, one dressed in a farm dress, the other dressed in bib overalls, yet they look all cleaned up like they haven't done any chores.
But they also aren't dressed formally enough to go to church or to a funeral.
They also look impassive and serious, stoic, hardy and almost stiff.
In summary, I have no idea what is happening in the painting, the context behind it and why it was posed this way.
It's almost as if Mr. Wood had asked them to clean up and pose for the painting as if he were a photographer.
Oddly enough, the "farmer" is actually Mr. Wood's dentist and the woman isn't the dentist's wife, but Wood's sister. It was first shown in 1930.
Posted by Dr. Bob | March 21, 2011 11:33 PM
Posted on March 21, 2011 23:33
Ok, since this is a Say What.
Imagine a thought bubble above the woman which says...
"You shouldn't have eaten that 4th slice of pizza, John"
And the man's thought bubble says...
"Brruuupppp!!!"
Posted by Dr. Bob | March 21, 2011 11:37 PM
Posted on March 21, 2011 23:37
DR. BOB:
Growing up in a rural area outside of a little Podunk town in the South, I encountered a good number of people who dressed very similar to this into the 1970s. They had lived through the depression, worked hard all their lives for not very much, and didn't live all that differently than they had during the depression (they would never have thought of accepting handouts... so-called "entitlements").
There was a good number of old codgers who either felt like they couldn't afford a full suit (therefore they only had a jacket), or their suit was so old the jacket outlived their trousers (& being older, they no longer had the income to upgrade their wardrobe).
A good number of them had never owned real property in their lives, but a larger number of them were "tax refugees" who were cheated out of what little land they had scraped & saved for when the tax man showed up on their doorstep with his hand out for inflated property taxes that were intended to drive independent rural folks into the cities so they could be kept on the gubmint plantation just like the inner-city pigmentally gifted folks.
Posted by Terwiliger | March 22, 2011 1:16 AM
Posted on March 22, 2011 01:16
"I rue the day we got in that infernal contraption with that flux thingy in it."
Posted by Terwiliger | March 22, 2011 1:23 AM
Posted on March 22, 2011 01:23
HEY DR. BOB
I see your point. The painting is suppose to represent the hardcore Midwestern ethic of no prentense and honest appearences, yet the facts behind the painting bare the details of facade and rhetoric. I'm sure Grant Wood was going for symbolism without the messy details of actual American life.
Idealizing rural life seems to come naturally to artists.
Posted by John Cox | March 22, 2011 1:41 AM
Posted on March 22, 2011 01:41
"I think he made you look kinda 'gangster', father."
Posted by Thunderbottom | March 22, 2011 8:29 AM
Posted on March 22, 2011 08:29
"What a couple of hicks!"
Posted by snowdog | March 22, 2011 11:15 AM
Posted on March 22, 2011 11:15
We don't always frown. Why did he have to paint us like that?
Posted by Jason | March 22, 2011 11:59 AM
Posted on March 22, 2011 11:59
1. John, this is excellent.
2. Ed B, I think you link shows the great grand children.
3. I hate to sound like an intellectual dolt, but I never put a lot of thought into the original. I simply liked it for what is was.
Now for the "Say What?" - Dear, did that dress make me look fat?
Posted by Tom Wms. | March 22, 2011 6:27 PM
Posted on March 22, 2011 18:27
"Gosh I loved that trident."
"Pitchfork, Byron."
"Tri-Dent. You're just jealous 'cause it has more teeth than you, Nan."
"You're full of it, Byron."
"Yeah, full of TEETH!"
Tsk. Poor guy's elevens are just about up, and I'm afraid if he keeps antagonizing Nan, she's gonna gum him to death.
Posted by Kevin The Zeroth | March 23, 2011 12:56 AM
Posted on March 23, 2011 00:56
"Well, I can honestly say you is as beautiful as you always was."
Posted by Anonymous | March 23, 2011 6:51 AM
Posted on March 23, 2011 06:51
Hey T:
Now that you mention it, my maternal grandfather dressed very much like that. He was a tin-smith and died in 1965.
Having gone through the Great Depression, he and his wife were very frugal. Their one luxury was a nice car purchased in 1951 and were still driving it with less than 25K on the odometer when both died.
Posted by Dr. Bob | March 23, 2011 10:44 PM
Posted on March 23, 2011 22:44
Great wordpress blog here.. It's hard to find quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! take care :)
Posted by Get Backlinks | March 28, 2011 3:22 AM
Posted on March 28, 2011 03:22
Dude this blog rules i cant believe i finally found what i was looking for, thanks bro.
Posted by Buy Backlinks | March 29, 2011 8:23 AM
Posted on March 29, 2011 08:23
Many thanks for your post. I would like to write my opinion that the expense of car insurance varies widely from one insurance plan to another, mainly because there are so many different facets which play a role in the overall cost. As an example, the model and make of the auto will have a tremendous bearing on the price. A reliable ancient family car will have a more affordable premium than the usual flashy performance car.
Posted by buy my car | April 4, 2011 2:54 PM
Posted on April 4, 2011 14:54
Great stuff my friend!Impressive post, a great deal of useful knowledge. I have been looking for such some info for some time and i got it here, thanks......
Posted by aluminium extrusion | April 10, 2011 7:32 AM
Posted on April 10, 2011 07:32