I recently painted my sixth Fire Lookout in the Jobs of Yesteryear series. These solitary workers living high on mountaintops have always elicited a bit of wondrous envy. When I was growing up in South Dakota, my family and I would often hike to the highest point in the state: Harney Peak (since renamed Black Elk Peak), a 5,000 foot mountain with an incredible stone fire lookout tower adorning its peak.
The stone fire lookout atop Black Elk Peak. This is actually my brother Lucas, but we look very similar so just imagine it’s me. | Mid to Late 90s
Whenever we finally reached the top and climbed up into the lookout, I would think of those workers who would live there for the summer months, scanning the hills below for any signs of smoke or fire. As I would eat my bologna sandwich with chips on it and look at all the pine forest stretching out for miles in any direction, I always thought it would have been a pretty good gig.
Me rock scrambling near Black Elk Peak already learning how to flex for the internet.
So It was no surprise that one of my first Jobs of Yesteryear paintings was of a fire lookout. I painted four versions starting in 2015 and the one featuring Black Elk Peak resides on my parents’ wall not far from the lookout tower it depicts.
The Fire Lookout | 2016 | This is the one that depicts Black Elk Peak and hangs in my parents home.
The Fire Lookout II | 2016 | This one depicts Helen Dowe, one of the first ever woman fire lookouts. She sat atop Devil’s Head in Colorado from 1918-21.
The Fire Lookout III | 2016
Last week as I put the finishing touches on The Fire Lookout VI, I took a minute and looked back at the five versions that preceded it. Each has its own charm but to me, it was fulfilling to see the many small ways that I continue to improve with practice. 135 Jobs of Yesteryear paintings separate this latest version with its predecessor and it felt good to see that my technique has not yet stagnated and plateaued.
To be specific, I have continued to loosen up in my application of the paint. My strokes are more gestural and expressive, taking inspiration from Impressionists like Van Gogh and Monet. I don’t worry so much about the shapes I paint in the background being crisp and immediately discernible. To me, it’s more enjoyable to have to “figure it out” as the viewer and in the process, you become more connnected to the piece of art. The resulting brushstrokes also allow the viewer to see more of how I paint in the finished product. I remember seeing Picasso’s famous painting “Guernica” in a museum in Madrid and being not only taken by its overall power, but also by its imperfections. In person, I could see where he painted over this section or corrected this shape here, the piece evolving as he discovered its form. This “loosening” continues to be one of my main goals in the studio and it has made painting even more fun and adventurous than before.
Seeing Guernica in Madrid. | January 2019
Along with the background painting, the way I paint the collaged figures has continued to evolve. If you notice from The Fire Lookout IV and many other paintings around that time, I was always hesitant to add any colors other than dark gray to the collaged figure. I would typically block out some details with the dark paint, add some shading using a wash with the same dark paint, and call it good. Since then (as you can see in the latest version), I have expanded into using more shades of lighter gray and white/cream on the figure and I think it makes for a more cohesive overall piece.
The Fire Lookout IV | 2017 | The Fire Lookout V was a commission piece that we don’t have an image of.
My final takeaway is that my sense of composition continues to strengthen. I have learned through painting 180 Jobs of Yesteryear pieces that less is more. Choosing to exclude something in the background gives more power to what I choose to include. With the latest fire lookout for example, you’ll notice that the figure is much bigger in the composition and more prominent, especially when compared to The Fire Lookout IV in which the scenery grabs more of your attention. This choice gives the viewer more of a chance to connect with the figure while also filling in the rest of the scenery from their own memory or experiences. If you ask me, it’s a win-win and a stronger composition.
The Fire Lookout VI | 2022
As you read this, you may disagree with what I think is better and I want you to know that we are both equally right. That’s what I love about art! There is no authority and each of our perspectives on what constitutes “good art” is equally valid. What else in life has such ultimate inclusion and infinite possibilities?
The Fire Lookout VI is currently available to purchase on in my shop. It and the rest of my newest paintings are heading to the Deep Ellum Arts Festival in Dallas, Texas this weekend so swing on by if you’re in the neighborhood. If you’d like to see the entire offering of new paintings from afar, consider becoming one of my patrons on Patreon. They always get first crack at my newest work in addition to more behind-the-scenes glimpses into our life on and off the road.
Thank you for coming along for the ride. Onward!