A painting honors the courage and brotherhood of firefighters while returning to the station where the artist’s journey began
Within two weeks of the horrific events of 9/11, I began a painting that would show the dedication to duty and bravery of the members of the New York City Fire Department. It took about three weeks to complete and I originally planned to donate the original to the NYCFD.
After seeing the painting, my publisher said they wanted to do prints both limited and unlimited. They also wanted to include A Prayer for My Brother in all of my upcoming shows and lectures. Thus the original ended up on tour during a number of gallery and museum shows.
I was overwhelmed by the response from the galleries and the people who viewed it. A Prayer for My Brother became one of the most important works of my career. One of the things that touched me most was the heartfelt and tearful stories told by people across the country that had lost loved ones and friends in the fire service.
My publisher donated 20% of the sales to the National Fire Academy in Maryland and the painting was used in the background of several episodes of Chicago Fire.
After hearing the ways in which A Prayer for My Brother touched so many people, I began to consider the title. This painting was symbolic of the fire service in general, from the smallest volunteer department to the largest of city departments. The risk every time an alarm sounds is always there and family members have concern over a loved one not returning home. This prayer covers all who are willing to put their lives on the line for others.
A Prayer for My Brother has hung at the top of the stairs in our home now for 25 years. Anyone wanting to come into my studio has to first climb the stairs and look up at the painting.
I am now 81 years old and as I consider the placement of my more important paintings, I decided that the best place for A Prayer for My Brother would be where my career started and as a tribute and thank you to all within the Ashland Fire Department who made my path as an artist possible. Among them are Chief Robel, who brought me on board in 1969 as a “sleeper” (student firefighter), Bill Reed and Leroy King for their understanding when my work for the Air Force and Navy as a combat artist took more and more of my time, and for all my fellow firefighters who traded shifts to allow me the time to travel.
A Prayer for My Brother is about shared values and brotherhood. It will have a great home at Station 1 in Ashland, Ore., where it all began.
Photo: William Phillips with the painting A Prayer for My Brother. Photo by Bob Palermini
