LeClaire Community Library has received funding from Humanities Iowa, a private non-profit, to host a presentation called “Grant Wood: Artistic Rags to Riches – an American Success Story” by Randy Lengeling at 6:30 PM on April 9th. A cultural resource for Iowans since 1971, Humanities Iowa offers many cultural and historical programs and grants to Iowa’s communities. The presentation is also supported by the State Historical Society, Inc. for the Humanities.

“Grant Wood: Artistic Rags to Riches – an American Success Story” is an animated PowerPoint presentation with archival photographs and video segments that looks at Wood’s personal life story, his artistic development and meteoric rise to international prominence as the leader of Regionalism, as well as his controversial professorship at the State University of Iowa and his enduring legacy in art history, having lived nearly his whole life in Iowa.

Randy Lengeling is a native Iowan who studied internal medicine and gastroenterology at the University of Iowa and has worked in private practice in Dubuque since 1981. He supplemented his art history knowledge by visiting art museums at every opportunity, and in 1984 viewed a major retrospective of Grant Wood’s work. The inspiring story of this Iowan’s arduous journey from poor farm boy to overnight success was an epiphany. From then on, his avocation has been collecting, researching, curating and lecturing on Iowa’s most famous artist, and he’s a founding and active trustee of the Dubuque Museum of Art, which has a world-class Grant Wood collection.

Come enjoy some art history and pride in Iowan accomplishments! The presentation will be free and open to the public. If you are a person with a disability who requires special assistance, please call the library at 563-289-6007 in advance.