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I think it was wise that FDR also created programs to help preserve the art and music. With creating all the other programs he did like the CCC, NRA, and WPA, and creating the FDIC, it was good he covered all the bases and included art and music in there too. At the very least by creating these programs for the art, music, and culture, FDR was bringing some beauty and joy into such a time period when everything was probably very depressing, at least there was something nice to look at or hear.

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This piece is called "Cross Road- Still Life" by Paul Benjamin. I chose this painting because it shows a farm, and it looks the farm has seen better days, maybe it hasn't been tended to or isn't producing as much. This painting made me think how the farms might look during the Great Depression when farmers couldn't afford their equipment anymore or it was being repossessed by the bank because they could no longer make the credit payments.

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"Hell, they've got to eat just like other people!" said Harry Hopkins. I agree that artists of the time shouldn't go hungry but I disagree on how they went about feeding them. Instead of paying aspiring artists for painting, I think they should have treated them like any other unemployed person at the time. They could have participated in CCC, TVA, WPA, or any of the other assistance programs. I might be biased because I'm not very interested in the art world, but it sounds like the government was just wasting money on paintings that are only significant because they were from the PWAP. However, even though I disagree I do think that it is pretty cool to look at those paintings from such a unique time in our nation's history.

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I agree to the New Deal relief efforts because it would help boost the economy after the Great Depression putting money towards emergency funds that will help make a difference. Its also a good thing that he wants to help protect the art work that was in that time. FDR had many rights to protect the worker rights like WPA and NRA which is still protected today. I also believe that the tax money should not have spent on art work and music because it should have been spent more wisely.

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This art is called "Plowing" created by Leo Breslau. I believe that this painting is a symbol of hard work that farmers put into the land in 1934 showing the work of many generations. Americans were known as the farmers of this time. Leo wanted a statement for this painting he called it the "American Scene". In this time many people in the world relied on farming because the population began to grow more and more. This is to offer hope to the future.

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This art is titled "Baseball at Night" and was made by Morris Kantor. I think this piece represents the community that came together during the "Great Depression." Babe Ruth made baseball America's past time. Even during the hard times of the 30's baseball never went away. It was a free game that kids and adults alike could enjoy while putting the hardships they were facing behind them. It amazes me that through all the years baseball has never ceased to be a favorite recreation. It has gotten us through two world wars, a depression, and so much more. This photo just shows me that even though there was a depression, America was still like America today.

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FDR's New Deal covered various forms of Relief, Recovery, and Reform. He created several federal committees dedicated to reforestation, infrastructure, public works projects, and workers' rights including the CCC, TVA, WPA, and NRA. He also reformed banks and protected peoples' money through the SEC and FDIC. It is natural that he should also want to protect the culture of the time through public artwork. According to the article "1934: The Art of the New Deal," artists had to apply for the federal money and were held to the "same standards of production and public value as workers wielding shovels in national parks." This wasn't just free money given away; it was investment into America's heritage.

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This piece of art is called "Manhattan Skyline," made in 1934 by John Cunning. I chose this piece because to me it represents the start contrast between the haves and the have-nots of the time period. On the far bank of the river, you can see the skyline of a booming city, representing industry. On the close bank of the river, men are shoveling snow off of the roofs of what look like tenement buildings, representing the working class. People at the time might not have seen the artwork as anything more than everyday life, but to me, it is a "snapshot" reminder that even in nationwide depression, social hierarchies still existed.

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Place your post about New Deal spending on arts projects here.

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Place your artwork post below

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Make TWO posts:

ONE:
- Choose one of the pieces of art on the Smithsonian Gallery (http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/1934/index.html) that you think represents some facet of American life during the Great Depression or the New Deal well.
Post:
- A screen shot of the image
- The name of the piece and the artist
- A description of why you chose it, including how you think it connects with the experience of American life during this time (tied to some kind of evidence)
- Include the topic and your name in the heading of your post (example: The 3 Rs - Wade Merrill)

TWO:
- Make a new post responding to the following:
The Great Depression was the ultimate American crisis. If government funds had to be spent on New Deal relief efforts, all of that money should have gone towards things that solved immediate emergencies or made a lasting difference: food relief, infrastructure, economic stimulus, etc. There is no reason tax payer money should have been spent on things like art and music. Tie your opnion to evidence from course materials.
- Place your post near the bottom prompt and include whether you agree or disagree in the title (example: Agree - Wade Merrill)