Fire Prevention Month

Fire Prevention Month
Drought
22" x 30"
watercolors
October was Fire Prevention Month. A time when teachers were called upon to have their students make fire prevention posters. Each year, a contest would be held and the winning entries would go on to area and state competitions.
I usually made some demonstration and sample pieces to use in my classes. We did lettering, including letters cut out from construction paper. Students did a variety of techniques, each child attempting to get over an idea about preventing fires.
I told my little stories and we looked at information about fire prevention. Often, something happened during that time that would make the posters seem more relevant. Students died or were injured when their homes burned, homes or a landmark would be destroyed, there would be an accident concerning fire, or we would have concerns that there would be more fires during extremely dry conditions.
The painting above is one that I used as an idea to go on a poster one year when we had drought conditions and there were many fires in the area. We had been riding on the highway from one town to the next at night, when we could see flames in the woods on the other side of the railroad tracks. I put two silhouetted figures on the left, representing my dad and my son, watching the woods burn. The contrasts of the red and green, along with the solid figures, gives this painting energy and strength.
I don't remember having Fire Prevention Month, or poster contests, when we were growing up. We did have fire drills at school, though. It was when I was a teacher that we began having more fire drills, and the poster contest. I thought it was a good idea.
I decided to post my Fire Prevention Month Painting today as we watch pictures on tv of the tragic fires in California. The extent of those fires is just unbelievable. We hope that those people who are affected, and the animals, are going to be alright.
Thanks for reading and sharing my work. Please pass it on to anyone who you think might be interested.
For those in the area of Bryan/College Station, Texas, be sure to check out the Downtown Art Auction Friday November 2. This goes along with the First Friday event downtown.
The Brazos Valley Art League show ends October 30 at the P.David Romei Art Center in College Station. Go see it if you have a chance. Look at the Art League's website under organizations on my sidebar for more information.
Let me know if you see something of interest to you.