FARM GOTHIC is a parody on the iconic Grant Wood painting “American Gothic,” that is a depiction of a farm couple.  In this case the farmer is holding an ear of corn and the farmer’s wife is holding an apple pie inscribed with a wheat design on the upper crust of the pie.

The first photo gallery is of the finished carvings in panoramic views from various angles of pose.  A second gallery of the progressive stages of development will follow.

This second gallery begins with the beginning stage of the two blocks of basswood.  The female block has an additional smaller block glued on where the hands will be holding the pie illustrated in the first two photos. The next two photos show the progressive stages for carving the farmer in the three illustrative blocks.

The next four photos show the beginning carving to form of the head of the wife and the hat/head of the farmer with guideline drawings of the outlines of the bodies.  Notice the red horizontal lines that have aided in dividing the body proportions into the Rule of Three ~ Shoulder to Waist; Waist to Mid Knees; Mid Knees to Bottom of Feet.

The next series of photos are of the progressive views of the wife being carved to basic form, with progression towards refining with more detailed carving procedures.  Notice especially the two photos showing the top of the pie with wheat design carved into the crust and then the bottom of the pie pan to see the carved hands. The final four photos in the wife’s series show the finished detail carving ready for the painting application.

The final section of the gallery concludes with the farmer being carved to basic form in the first three photos.  The last four photos show the farmer in finished details ready for the painting application.

The painting process includes applying a base coat of Raw Sienna artist oil paint mixed with boiled linseed oil over each carving brushing off the excess oil. Other colors of artist oil paint were thinned with BLO and applied on top of the base coat in designated areas like the hair, clothing, corn and pie.  When the paint was dry, a brushing lacquer of Deft was applied as the finish application.

Both carvings were guiled to a thin basswood base being held in place with a screw in each from the bottom and the title “FARM GOTHIC” was carved into the face of the base to make the completed presentation.