Blog
Prairie Fire
Prairie Fire, by Tom McGregor 2020
The person who commissioned this painting asked that I don't divulge her identity. I'll call her Drew. In our initial meeting to discuss what she wanted me to paint, Drew started by telling me a true story.
She was horse-sitting for a friend in southwest Minnesota. This area of the country is mostly treeless, flat farm land where the wind can blow hard and steady for weeks at a time.
One morning Drew looked out the kitchen window and saw smoke. She ran out just in time to witness the start of a wildfire. Because she happened to catch it in time, she was able to put it out quite quickly. As soon as the fire was safely doused, she called her friend to tell her what had happened.
The friend asked her where exactly the fire had started. When Drew told her, the friend said, "Oh my, that's where we burn our trash. We put that fire out two weeks ago." Apparently it had smoldered underground all that time but finally, with strong winds feeding it oxygen, was able to reach the surface and reignite just as Drew happened to be standing by the kitchen window.
This experience got Drew thinking about what it must have been like for the homesteaders to deal with catastrophes like wild fires.
This painting is my attempt to answer that question.
In the distance you can see the neighbor's barn and house already engulfed in flame. When that farm family gave up hope of saving their life's work, instead of bemoaning their losses, they jumped into action to try to help their neighbors save their farm.
Neighbors relied on each other. Everybody pitched in. With only one well to provide water, people are using shovels and wet blankets and everything they can think of to battle the blaze. Meanwhile a man is feverishly throwing everything of value he can fit into a horse-drawn wagon while the horse bucks in terror and another farmer tries to rein her in. A boy bends down to save his prize chicken. The sheep dog has jumped into action; a calf cries for it's mother who is petrified with fear, while the baby and pigs wail. The baby's mother can only offer soothing words to her baby while she pumps water relentlessly.
This commissioned painting is my third this year. With galleries all but shuttered and other opportunities to sell my work mostly gone, these commissions have been a blessing. I am so grateful to Drew as well as Jody and Tim for the opportunities they have afforded me.
When Drew first saw the painting, she said, "My that's a noisy painting. I love it!"
I love doing paintings that tell a story; that allow me to use my imagination. They don't necessarily have to be as dramatic as this one, but if the subject engages my imagination, I will give it my all. If you have a subject you would like to see painted, I would love to hear from you.
