Recognized as one of western Canada’s most distinguished nature painters, McLean’s work remains stellar. Recently, he sold a painting for $10,000 — the highest price he’s ever garnered.

His depictions of rural wildfire are enthralling, inspired by photos he’s taken in his travels around Westman. In recent paintings, McLean portrayed an oil pump on a golden field or a buck primed for a fight during mating season.

McLean is a self-taught artist. “Homemade,” as he puts it. He couldn’t guess how many paintings he’s put his signature to.

In 1987, McLean switched from oil paintings to drawing with acrylics. The difference its accorded is outstanding, evident in each whisker of a fox he painted.

McLean lives a mile east of Virden on a property in his family’s name for a century. The McLean’s settled there from Prince Edward Island.

His dad became a fur trader. The year Terry was born — 1935, in the midst of the Great Depression — wearing fur was no longer in style.

As his father switched to casual trapping, he took Terry along as they roamed the woods. From there perhaps, Terry sketched what he saw: animals, trees and fields.

He recalls once sketching an elephant on the board in his Grade 2 class like everyone else. McLean was walking back to his desk when he heard his teacher shout his name. What did he do wrong, he thought?

“‘Did you just draw that? No pictures or anything,” his teacher said in disbelief.

As he grew up, McLean gradually spent more time on his art.

He worked eight years as a postal clerk and 11 years checking on oil wells. At the age of 40, he quit his oil job, choosing to paint full-time and get to work on his 44 commissions.

He’s been free to follow his paintings ever since. Over the years, his work has graced offices, magazine covers, greeting cards and pocketbook reminiscences. He was hired to paint a 46-foot mural to mark Canada’s centennial.