Volunteer
Pastel on sanded Colourfix paper (burgundy) – 35m x 50cm
On a day in Northern Victoria when the temperature is predicted to reach 40 degrees and a Total Fire Ban is in place, we are all extremely grateful for the volunteers of the Country Fire Authority!
After fires devastated this area about 5 years ago, I went out with a group of these volunteers during their ‘mopping up’ operations, and this is one of the paintings that resulted. The fire came within a few metres of my chook pen!!! I was home alone and had to put our ‘fire plan’ into operation (a long story and a long day)! I have never been so terrified in my life! Consequently, days like today make me very nervous!
Since I posted this work the fire that devastated Northern Victoria on the 7th February occurred. I have since been selling cards of this work in the Shire of Mitchell (where I live and where the first fire started) and donating the proceeds to the CFA.
This work was featured in the groups ‘Mature Men’ and ‘Rural Around the Globe’ – Jan 2009
Featured in the Buyers Club group – July 2009
Featured in Colours of the Rainbow (Yellow) – Oct 2009
Featured in Country Victoria – Dec 2009
Volunteer belongs to the following groups:
Aussie Bush Paintings, Australia! You're Standing In it...., Contemporary Pastel Painters (2 per day), Country Victoria (Australia) 2 per day, First Things, Mature Men, Realist Traditional Art and THE SISTERHOOD Available for sale asGreeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints and Framed Prints
Susan Bergstrom
Great Pastel work…I love your style Lynda!
Lynda Robinson replied
Thanks Susan. Hope you are having a good day and that you managed to get some sleep!!!
BLYTHART
That’s what my Australian sister-in-law used to do …. volunteer fire fighting. Great painting … as usual … did you get my Bubble mails?
Lynda Robinson replied
Just read them and just replied Dave.
mscholl21
Great colors and rendering. I love the blues in the dirt (right up front).
Lynda Robinson replied
Thanks very much Michael, your comment is appreciated – now get off the desk will you!
Linda Ridpath
I remember the Total Fire Ban days from my past. Yep, it could be scary living in the bush…. luckily we missed the fires….. this is such a brilliant interpretation of the men that fought the fires. love it!! well done Lynda x
Lynda Robinson replied
Thank you Linda. My husband is one of them! I have had three fire experiences in my life, and each one was awful. I am looking forward to the ‘cool change’ but it is not due through here until tomorrow. We are in severe drought in this area, so it is a tinder box!
mscholl21
you make it sound so naughty. sheesh!
Lynda Robinson replied
Sorry Michael. I’ve just given myself a big SMACK for being so bossy!
Linda Callaghan
fabulous pastel Lynda – so much detail…ok so I did one more…but have to do a landscape next I know! this one is amazing!!! it is so lifelike and how you did the smoke makes me wonder….just great art
Lynda Robinson replied
Thanks Linda – the smoke was really easy. Just a whiff of a blueish pastel and then a smudge hither and thither letting the underneath bits show through.
GEORGE SANDERSON
Brilliant picture, Lynda !!!
My son is a retained fire fighter in Scotland, and he has had to deal with quite a few moorland fires, on the mainland and the western isles !
Lynda Robinson replied
Thanks for the comment Georgie. Bushfires are the scariest things. I really thought I was going to die! A friend drove through the fire to get to me and lost all the paintwork off his vehicle, and risked his life because he knew I was home alone! All the roads were blocked, and it was just every man/woman for themselves! The devastation was incredible and so many animals lost, but only one home. I get very stir crazy on days like today!
Mrswillow
This painting really brings it home…the heat, the tinder dry bush and the wind ! Without our wonderful volunteer firefighters we would be in big trouble during these 40 plus degree days. A fantastic tribute to a wonderful organization!
Lynda Robinson replied
Yep – they are definitely worth their weight in gold overalls!
Corinne Pouzet
Oh wow !! along with the story that goes with it !!
Lynda Robinson replied
Thank you Corinne. See my comment to George to give you a teeny bit of an insight into the story!
thepaintedsoul
Beautiful pastel. . . no so beautiful subject matter, eh? Gosh, you’re sounding like those California folks here who fight the fire issue so often.
Love your choice of color palette Lynda. Congrats on another winner.
P.S. How’d the show go?
Lynda Robinson replied
Apparently California and this country are very similar in the fire and climate respect! We had a good time at the show. I won the major award for ‘Most Popular Painting in Show’ but didn’t sell anything (I think my prices were a bit too high)! Milesey sold a couple, so we is grinning from ear to ear over ear!
Brian Towers
From disaster comes good art, so I guess it wasn’t entirely an ill wind. You almost had roast chicken that day. Good work Lynda.
adgray
Skik is one of these blokes!
Chookas to all of them!
A gorgeous portrait of brave men doing a thankless job!
Thank you!
adgray
If the Californians insist on pinching our trees then they get the fire to go with them! they are not like other forest fires, these trees EXPLODE! and every leaf can spread it across the canopy sixty feet or more in the air!
But I guess they have developed & given us 2 water copters to help us fight them … but do they BOTH have to be in Sydney???? <(
fingers Xd we wont need them and rain comes soon!
Chookas! ♥
Hidemi Tada
wonderful work as usual Lynda. I wish i could paint trees very easily.
Helen Miles
Great work Robbo. I loved this one when I first saw it! 39 degrees again today, hate it!
Alexandra Felgate
Lynda, this piece makes me very emotional! I too live in a rural environment, last year we had a very bad bushfire very close to my home, so I agree that very hot days (such as we had here on Tuesday) make me jittery and nervous and obsessively checking the radio and CFS website…..Glad to know your bushfire plan saved your home 5 years ago, and my sincerest hopes you NEVER have to put it into action again!!!!
Alexandra Felgate
Oh, and beautiful work too…...LOL
BigD
Congratulations you have been featured in Rural Around the Globe. BigD
Lynda Robinson replied
Thank you very much indeed! I am very excited, and very honoured.
Cheri Perry
Fantastic image. So much being said in one image….a very emotional image. Excellent work
Lynda Robinson replied
Thank you very much for a lovekly comment Cheri.
Luvlee
God bless them!!!!!!! I’m in the Yarra Valley! Lovely work!!
Lynda Robinson replied
Thanks for the luvlee comment Luvlee! I think the whole state is breathing a huge sigh of relief now that we have more ‘autumnal’ conditions!!! What an horrific summer it’s been!
Ken Tregoning
I fought two lots of Bushfires, one in the north Warrendyte area and the Cockatoo fires all my brothers in the ash pit would thank you for your lovely work, thank God for the rain and bless you for your art.
Lynda Robinson replied
Thanks Ken – you legend!
Jazzabel
Poignant – he looks weary. Fantastic work once again.
Lynda Robinson replied
Thanks a lot Jazzy Lady!
Ken Tregoning
Legend in my own Lunch Box. hahahhha
Ciska
God Bless them for what they do for us, fantastic work Lynda as always!!!!
Karen Hull
This is so beautiful Lynda, and in light of recent events, so emotive. They are amazing people really. I do hope you don’t live too close to where the fires came through. I think I went through a box of tissues that week!
Lynda Robinson replied
Well Karen – asamatterafact I DO live very close to where they started. My husband did a 20 hour shift with the CFA on the 7th Feb, and worked on and off for the next 2 weeks. I evacuated to Melbourne and stayed with my son, and thought I would be lucky if I had a home to come back to! I did and I AM lucky!
Karen Hull
Thank God you did and bless your husband!
Martina Fagan
Stunning work
Lynda Robinson replied
Thank you so much – I appreciate your comment Marsbub.
JaninesWorld
Once again…brilliant!
Lynda Robinson replied
Thank you Janine. You are a kind lady!
Meg Hart
Oh boy!...This excellent depiction evokes feelings and fears only too well-known to one such as I, living in a log cabin in the Wombat State Forest, Victoria. I love living with Nature and all the wonderful wildlife, but summers are becoming increasingly harrowing….Your pastel works are so brilliant, Lynda.
Vanessa Barklay
CONGRATULATIONS Lynda! You got a TOP TEN in the Men At Work Challenge in the Australia! You’re Standing In It…group.
Taylor Sawyer
Congrats on your feature! You are now invited to enter
this piece into Best of YELLOW
Diana-Lee Saville 24 days ago
Diana-Lee Saville 18 days ago
Lynda Robinson replied 18 days ago
Thank you HEAPS and HEAPS Diana! What a great honour to be a featured member of the wonderful Country Victoria group!!!! It’s absolutely BONZA Mate!!!!!
Diana-Lee Saville 18 days ago
lol…I thought it was a very fitting image Lynda :))