NARRATIVE: As a pioneer train of wagons comes to a halt for the day, the emigrants take to their individual tasks to prepare for the approaching night. While the men maneuver their wagons and teams of oxen, the women tend to their usual chore of building the campfires over which they prepare and cook the evening meal. But even the mundane task of gathering wood for the fire doesn’t always come without risk.
Approximately 350,000 emigrants traveled 2400 miles from the banks of the Missouri River to destination points like California and Oregon. The women who made this trek had to be daring and adventurous. They had given up the cultured things they had become accustomed to in their lives. Being sturdy and independent only added to the likelihood of survival. Many women walked the entire journey. Perhaps they had given up a place in the wagon for the children or even the elderly. There are many accounts where wagons broke down and had to be left behind with all of their belongings while they continued on by foot. For most, turning around was not an option. It took a special kind of grit to not only care for themselves, but also the entire family and others in their parties.
Life on the overland trails was such a departure from one of safety and comfort left hundreds of miles behind. Stepping away from the safety of the other travelers meant that one could easily become vulnerable to any number of possible dangers or perhaps opportunities. Being armed and prepared for either one could determine the difference between life and death, and knowing how to use a gun was as necessary as knowing and performing all the other chores of pioneer life.
Keeping a wary eye out for anything out of the ordinary became a necessity. Scanning the horizons could help detect distant and approaching figures, raising the question “Are they friendly or perhaps outlaws?” It could also bring about the chance to secure game for the next several meals. Hearing the noise of snapping twigs or the sudden change in the behavior of birds could mean the possibility of either danger or the opportunity for food. Everyone had to be ready for anything that could alter the outcome of their goal, to reach their destination alive. Therefore, eternal vigilance was the price for safety and survival. That thought has become the catalyst for not only the idea behind this painting, but also the title itself, “Vigilant.”
My goal as the artist is to let the viewer become a participant in creating the story that presents itself in this painting. What is going through this girl’s mind? Have her skills become honed enough to ensure her survival? Is she sensing danger or simply being prepared for endless possibilities? The story is purposely left open ended to allow the viewer to interpret the scene as their own, and enjoy the visual experience in a personal and unique way.
