Springtime Magic
Story and Art by Joe Maurer, Multimedia Artist, Chippewa Savannas Chapter Member
Dower Prairie Shooting Stars
Two springs ago, I got a call from Steve Hubner from the Prairie Bluff chapter. “Joe you gotta get down here and see the blooms of these shooting stars.” Steve specifically wanted me to create videos that would showcase the extravagant floral displays found in Butenhoff Prairie, Dower’s and Muralt Prairies, all of which had recently been burned earlier in spring of 2022. As is typical for me when I go to these landscapes, I tend to be “a tad drifty.” I am either hyper-focused on something or I want to see it all. A Prairie Enthusiast knows there really is no way to properly capture the life of the prairie. It’s a highly personal experience. You just have to be there and let the landscape direct you.
Shooting with high frame rates to capture slow motion, I spent a lot of my time chasing queen bumblebees. With my camera on a long stick, I looked a bit like somebody with a metal detector obsession searching for treasures. Steve noticed my odd behavior and more than once remarked that I get “overview shots to make sure people see and understand the expansiveness of the floral displays.”
When I got back home, I edited together footage that captured some of what I felt. The videos were good, but there was still another feeling I was trying to get to. In my restlessness to find that feeling, I printed out frames from the videos and taped them together on the walls of my art studio. I spent the next year and a half working on a dozen five-to-six-foot paintings derived from the film stills. I wanted that feeling of being at ground level where queen bees collect spring pollen and badgers forage. I am happy to share some of the outcomes of these efforts.
My gratitude to Steve Hubner and Mary Zimmerman for the support during this project. Prairie Bluff and Southwest Chapters: thank you for keeping the magic alive in these landscape jewels we call prairies!
Check out the videos mentioned in this article here:
To experience the magic of prairies firsthand, visit one of our protected sites.
This article appeared in the Summer 2024 edition of The Prairie Promoter, a publication of news, art and writing from The Prairie Enthusiasts community. Explore the full collection and learn how to submit your work here.
Dower’s Prairie
Nederland
Butenhoff Prairie
Gentians of Eau Claire