"Hailstorm over Kansas" depicts a story Garrett heard
told
by his father of a neighbor's tall tale - "that the neighbor
was coming home from town when a hailstorm came up.
The neighbor raced home, just managing to keep ahead
of the storm. There was a dog riding in the back
of the wagon and it hailed so bad that it killed the dog."
(detail)
Hailstorm Over Kansas was completed in 1975. The
picture measures
27.5 by 21.5 inches. Seeds used include cracked Indian Corn, wheat and
rice in the sky;
Milkweed and Cattail for the clouds; popped Corn, Ragweed, Yucca,
Buttonweed,
Onion, and White Clover for the storm cloud; Cattail and Pussywill for
the dust; Oak Leaf
Lettuce and Spinach for the road; Hulled Oats and Wheat in the
"southwest field"; Foxtail,
Sourdock and Ragweed "north of the road"; Mullein for the lines of the
wire fence;
Buttonweed for the gray field; Hibiscus and Cedar Berries for the dark
brown field;
Tomato seed, Foxtail, Beet and Spinach for the right top of the road;
White Clover,
Sourdock, Hollyhock, Radish, Curly Malice, Spinach, and Poppy for the
creek;
Pigweed for the windmill and outline of the horses; Salsify and Canary
Grass for
the fence posts; Millet for the haystack; Poppy Seed for the overalls;
Parsnip
for the edge of the road; and Hibiscus and Lettuce for the cabin.
Photographs by Evan Garrett