Works featuring a beloved national symbol will be coming to four Will County nature sites this winter.
Paintings of Smokey Bear, the character used in the U.S. Forest Service’s wildfire prevention campaign since 1944, will be on display from January 17 to March 2.
19 Smokey Bear paintings, reproductions of the works of Rudy Wendelin
Nineteen paintings will be showcased in “Smokey Bear: The Rudy Wendelin Collection.”
Rudolph “Rudy” Andreas Michael Wendelin was the artist who took charge of the Smokey Bear project shortly after World War II. He had been with the U.S. Forest Service since 1933.
Smokey was first drawn by Albert Staehle. But Wendelin would give Smokey human-like qualities, putting him in a forest ranger’s hat and jeans and placing a shovel in his hands. He also inscribed the bear’s name on its belt buckle and hat.
Under his brushstrokes, Smokey would be depicted in a number of different mediums representing the U.S. Forest Service, becoming nationally known – along with his tagline, “Only you can prevent forest fires.” That was later altered in 2001 to “Only you can prevent wildfires,” to expand the idea beyond just forests into grasslands, and to distinguish between necessary prescribed or controlled burns.
Wendelin would retire from the forest service in 1973, but continued some of his work with Smokey Bear, doing calendar and book illustrations. He died in 2000, at 90 years old.
The 19 paintings on display are reproductions of images Wendelin painted between 1977 to 1995.
They’re being brought to the area thanks to a collaboration between the Forest Preserve District of Will County and the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.
4 different viewing locations
The paintings in the collection will be distributed for viewing among the following locations:
- Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, 25055 W. Walnut Lane, Channahon
- Isle a la Cache Museum, 501 E. Romeo Road, Romeoville
- Plum Creek Nature Center, 27064 S. Dutton Road, Beecher – viewing hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday
- Sugar Creek Administration Center, 17540 W. Laraway Road, Joliet – viewing hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 18 and March 2
Visitors can take photos and videos of the artwork, but are asked not to touch it.
Smokey Bear challenge
The Forest Preserve District of Will County is offering visitors a chance to win a Smokey-themed prize basket. To do so, guests need to check out all five of the centers featuring the Smokey Bear paintings.
There are also several programs being run in conjunction with the display, including:
- Wonderkids – Smokey Bear: Isla a la Cache Museum on Thursday, Feb. 6 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Free program for kids ages 2-5, featuring Smokey Bear facts, stories, crafts, and songs. Must register by Feb. 4.
- Smokey Bear – Trivia Night at the Museum: Isla a la Cache Museum on Thursday, Feb. 27, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A naturalist will run guests through some Smokey Bear and nature trivia…play solo or as a team. Free event for those ages 16 and up. Must register by Feb. 25.
Other Smokey-themed events at Plum Creek Nature Center can be found on the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s website.
And for those wondering…though officially called “Smokey Bear,”…the name “Smokey the Bear” gained popularity starting in 1952 with the creation of a song by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins. The two added “the” between Smokey and Bear within the lyrics to keep the song’s rhythm.
**NOTE – an earlier version of this story said the paintings would also be shown at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, but due to HVAC work at the center, that is no longer the case.
Photo courtesy: Elizabeth Wendelin. Smokey Bear images are used with the permission of the USDA Forest Service.
If you have a story idea, we want to hear from you!