"Wood" One Man Show w/ Dick Miller

Art buffs and history enthusiasts alike are invited to the Hoff Family Arts and Culture Center on Friday night, as a reenactor Richard (Dick) Miller and guests will bring artist Grant Wood’s inspiring legacy to life. 

The one-night-only event starts at 7:00PM in the gallery, which opens at 6:00PM for guests to explore beforehand. The 45-minute performance, which dramatizes Wood’s life, will be followed by a discussion of the artist’s work and his 80 years of impact since his passing. The audience will learn about Grant Wood’s life and legacy, including the story of American Gothic, Wood’s most recognizable painting.

“He’s got a hundred surprising stories to tell.” Danna Kehm, CEO of PACE, said about Miller’s depth of knowledge. “He’s researched and read all the books. He genuinely loves the artist, and knows small details that bring Grant Wood’s story to life.”

In addition to being a Grant Wood enthusiast, reenactor Dick Miller is also a long-time pillar of the Bluffs arts community. He’s supported many local projects and arts initiatives, including the preservation of Wood’s Corn Murals. The murals were a large project which brought Wood to Council Bluffs for the first time. Now large parts of the restored mural live in The Hoff Center’s Richard & DeAnna Miller Grant Wood Gallery, making it the perfect place to bring Grant Wood’s story to life.

Every year, Iowa students learn about Grant Wood and his artistic legacy; he championed rural America and painted its people and landscapes with love, humor, and skill. But, as Richard Miller will point out, guests don’t have to already know about the renowned regionalist painter to enjoy his life’s story.

“Grant Wood is an Iowa treasure,” Miller said, “but most people don’t know about his dramatic childhood. His father abused him for painting, but his mother secretly supported his dreams. It’s the challenges that set Wood on the road to greatness, and a coming-of-age story that every age can learn from.”