Missouri bottoms at Mattson

Mattson Barns

acrylic on canvas

12 x 16 inches

On the second day of the plein air event, I found this lovely spot along the Katy Trail. Bicyclists in comfortable conversation passed by, enjoying a spring day in the 70s. The Missouri River is unseen in the distance on the other side of the barns at the foot of the distant bluffs. A small park across from the Katy Trail access memorializes Daniel Boone's presence in this area and from the maps, his family owned a considerable amount of land nearby, as part of a Spanish land grant.

 A neighbor to the trail stopped by to see the progress of my painting. He told me that there used to be a large burr oak in the view, but told me the tree I was painting was only a pecan tree. "Only a pecan!" I exclaimed. He said the barn on the right was actually a stone building, that was probably there when Daniel Boone lived in Missouri.It didn't look like stone to me, so I wished I could go over and look more closely.

I am trying to get these two paintings ready for the final show and sale this weekend at Mount Pleasant winery.