In 1948 the UW Press published a book showcasing the life and work of thirty non-professional Wisconsin artists who participated in Rural Art Exhibitions held at UW-Madison Memorial Union and lists all works on display at the 1940-1948 series of Rural Art Exhibitions.

The book was written by John Rector Barton. During his 25 years at the UW, Barton was heavily involved with many clubs and organizations devoted to agriculture and rural life. One of Barton's major interests was rural art. His work with John Steuart Curry, U.W. Artist in Residence, and his annual rural art shows, led him to produce the book Rural Artists of Wisconsin. Barton also served on the committee which selected Aaron Bohrod to serve as Artist in Residence after Curry's death in 1946.

I'm looking only at the caption. I promise.

They may well be seeing materials related to Curry's "An All American," which he painted in 1941. The painting's hero is Badger football's David N. Schreiner, who would be All-American in 1942. (Schreiner was killed on Okinawa in 1945.)

Curry's job at Wisconsin sounds like something I would have liked to have. According to the famous editor William Allen White, Wisconsin hired Curry when no institution in his home state of Kansas made him an offer. As White wrote, Wisconsin "turned him loose without much schedule and are making him an influence rather than an instructor. He teaches little and talks a lot, paints when he wants to."

In other words, having students crawling around his studio was more or less Curry's academic job. (N.B. his middle name was Steuart, not Stuart.)

You know it's them socks that makes a man wanna take art class!