Fort McMurray’s tireless fire chief got a look into his own wildfire-haunted eyes Tuesday, getting his first up-close look at a fundraising portrait painted in tribute to his efforts to save the northern Alberta city.
Darby Allen, the man at the centre of the battle to keep the oilsands capital from being wiped out by a rampaging wildfire, was in Calgary on Tuesday,to help unveil the acrylic painting that captures his angst-ridden face and quickly became a social media sensation.
Russell Thomas, a Fort McMurray artist and evacuee, was driven by “gut instinct” to paint Allen’s visage from news camera stills, his face clearly etched with the pain of watching his community burn.
After the opus went viral on social media, Thomas realized the spontaneous artwork, created in less than three hours, could also become a way to help those affected by the devastating blaze, and a fundraiser for the city’s United Way was born.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that the decisions Darby made with his team saved lives, including the lives of my family,” Thomas said, at northeast Calgary print shop Run Digital, which is helping the campaign that will provide prints of the painting in exchange for a minimum $100 donation to the fundraiser.
“He offered a sense of comfort and a reminder of the courage of not just Darby, but hundreds of men and women who put themselves in the line of fire.”
The veteran firefighter, who is taking some time off from the battle to reconnect with his family in Calgary, was visibly moved as the painting was unveiled, quickly wiping his eyes.
“It’s kind of an emotional moment for me,” he admitted.
“Although this is a picture of me, it’s not about Darby Allen again. It embodies every first responder, every firefighter, every person who was there in those early days that gave their all.
“I was never on the end of a nozzle with a line, I was never fighting that beast and these people were.”
Artist Russell Thomas’ painting of Fort McMurray Fire Department Chief Darby Allen. (Courtesy Run Digital/Postmedia)
Allen added that beyond those on the front lines battling the blaze, there was also great courage shown by their families who had to evacuate, often leaving much of their lives behind.
The chief wryly noted he’s never been immortalized in art before, and he doesn’t expect to look above his mantle to see his own face staring back anytime soon.
“I’m just a fireman with a big nose. People don’t usually do paintings of me,” he said.
“If the plan is that this sits in the fire hall, that’s fine. It won’t sit in my living room. My wife wouldn’t let me have this up in the living room.”
Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the city’s United Way to deal with the social effects of the disaster.
As well, five donors have agreed to cover all the costs to provide 16-in. by 20-in. free prints to any first responder who participated in the effort.
For more information visit unitedforfortmcmurray.ca
On Twitter: @ShawnLogan403
