by Michael Boss
Gouache on Rag Board
12" X 18"
From the Collection of Larry Luck, Portland, Oregon
During 1987 Steve Sandlin, a life long friend, needed help for his wheat harvest. He called in the second of this soon to be trio, a long time bud of ours, Mike Balthazor. Mike brought his Case 660 and fortunately for the combines and their owners, I was the grain truck driver and third man!
Near the end of the harvest, we were finishing a field at night. I watched Steve with his Massey-Ferguson 750 coming toward me with Mike and his Case 660 following close behind. As they drove by I saw an image which implanted itself for 21 years: the front cab lights on the wheat and particularly those illuminating the rear of Mike's Case.
I described this scene to my Lutheran minister friend Dick Kaczor. He made no bones this small moment in time should be painted. Period! The painting progressed rather well with Mike's help defining a few "murky" details on his Case.
The only variation from the "real" scene is the addition of the farmer's headache, an oncoming thunderstorm.