Tom McNeely (Canadian, B. 1935) "Amber Waves of Grain" Signed lower right. Watercolor.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the 32c Flag Over Porch Self-Adhesive Booklet stamp issued May 21, 1996.

When Katharine Lee Bates gazed from the summit of Pike's Peak across the rolling plains of America spreading out before her, she was inspired to write America the Beautiful, a song celebrating this nation's beauty and majesty. In her second line of verse she remarks on "amber waves of grain," recognizing like so many before her that America is very much a story of the land and those who till it. Thomas Jefferson, an accomplished farmer, wrote of "the immensity of land courting the industry of the husbandman," when discussing the future of American agriculture. However impressed they were, both Bates and Jefferson would still have been amazed at the agricultural powerhouse the United States has become. The American farming community not only provides food for over 250 million citizens in this country, but also supplies the world with one-half of its corn, more than one-tenth of its wheat and one-fifth of its beef, pork, mutton and lamb. The mechanization of cultivation and harvesting, the availability of electricity, the development of new crops and techniques and the use of genetics to improve plants and animals have brought impressive changes to agriculture in the era since the 1920s. As farmers move into the 21st C., their focus is increasingly turning toward wise use of the resources within their care in order to ensure sustainable development of land, water and agricultural life.

Image Size: 28.75 x 21.25 in.
Overall Size: 29.75 x 21.75 in.
Unframed.
(B15340)

- By registering to bid for this auction either in-house or online and/or placing a bid in this auction the BIDDER/BUYER agrees to all the terms and conditions of Helmuth Stone Gallery Auctions.

- All silver, gold and/or jewelry lots or invoices containing said lots MUST be paid for via wire transfer or cashier’s check, no other forms of payment will be accepted.

- All sales are final; no refunds will be given under any circumstances.

- Helmuth Stone Gallery provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater. The bidder assumes responsibility for ensuring that the condition of the item(s) meets with their satisfaction prior to bidding. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.

- Online images can sometimes be low quality due to the uploading process, original high-resolution images can be requested via email at HelmuthStone@gmail.com

- We recommend looking into shipping quotes prior to bidding, shipping quotes can take up to a week or more post-sale as we host our auctions through 6 online platforms and shipping can become backlogged, if you would like a list of local shippers please email us directly.

- Our auction catalogs are hosted through multiple online platforms along with phone and in-house bidding. Bids placed on other platforms are not shown through this catalog. Because of this, even if it appears you are the only absentee bid or bidder on a lot, you may already be out bid or may have placed a bid equal to another bidder. Therefore, we always recommend bidding live.