The Story Behind the Painting
The cowboy featured in ‘Smoke and Iron’ is BC cowboy Ilya Zalubniak. I took the reference image at a branding at the Gang Ranch in BC during my time working as bookkeeper there.

Branding at a large operation, like the Gang Ranch, is not a one day or weekend event, but rather a season in itself that usually lasts at least a month. It is not a social event where all the neighbours gather to help brand and then ‘help’ deplete the beer supply at the end of the day. By the end of this kind of branding season all eagerness and excitement is replaced by aching roping arms, blistered hands, and throbbing tired feet.

At the end of such a branding season is the scene for this piece. The cowboy is standing at the ready as the afternoon sun blazes down on him. He ignores the sting of the blisters on his hands that have cracked open again. He’s wearing the same pair of blue jeans and shirt (that once was white) that he worked in yesterday and slept in last night because he was too tired to be bothered to change. He’s wore out and wore down, but there’s still a job to do.

This is the cowboy dream, though it may seem like a nightmare to some. It is a long and often grueling job, but a true cowboy wouldn’t trade it for the world. They do it because they love it because its who they are.

Smoke and Iron; Branding at the Gang
A poem by Alexandra Verboom Fritz

Once eager strides have been replaced by dragging boots of throbbing feet.

His roping arm aches as he swings open the gate and enters the branding trap.

How many times has he done this before, he cannot recall anymore.

It’s been a long season, he thinks with a sigh, as he grabs his iron for what he hopes will be the last time.

Iron in one hand and a tagging gun in the other he stands. Ready to mark each calf for the brand.

Afternoon sun blazes. Nose filled with smells of wood smoke and seared flesh.

Down his neck a bead of sweat. Blisters cracked open upon hands wet.

His garb is yesterday’s blue jeans and a shirt that was once white. Too tired to change, he slept in them last night.

He’s wore out and wore down, but there’s still a job to do. This is the cowboy dream, though it could be a nightmare too.