Garden at Liberty Park

Love getting to share my passion for plein air at the Liberty Park rose garden for this morning's plein air workshop.  Requested by the Sedalia Visual Art Association, I led the group in how I approach a plein air painting in oils.  It was fun to talk through my process, sharing tips along the way.  So happy to get to paint such a lovely place, with such lovely artists.  Painting number 4252 in 4252 days. 

YMCA in Sedalia

This red stone building in the heart of historic downtown Sedalia is a showstopper among many on Ohio street. The letters are engraved and there is such attention to every detail, but no year is present.  I suspect there was once a much grander door, and some missing detail to the left in the next building.  Several of the faded buildings through here are being worked on, hopefully restored to their former beauty.  I would love to read to history on this building - I could only find one reference to it online.  I sure wish our historic town was full of this kind of architecture!  I am using ink and watercolor today in this miniature piece of handmade cotton paper. Painting number 3348 in 3348 days. 

Hotel Bothwell

Would you believe this is my very first trip to historic downtown Sedalia?  Only an hour and half from home, this charming town is steeped in vintage architecture!  So many beautiful buildings, seemingly so untouched by civil war destruction.  So many of our Missouri towns are just a sprinkling of buildings instead of blocks and blocks and blocks.  I noticed the same thing about Salina, Kansas.  I do live in the historic "burnt district" of Cass County and Order #11, but it's not until I get a little farther out that I realize the difference in the historic district landscape.  It makes me wonder about all the homes that were lost during the Civil War, and thankful that ours survived, even when a mattress was laid against the west side and lit on fire.  We found this information from the family records passed down from the second family who owned it, given to us by Mrs. Rice.  The Hotel Bothwell is gorgeous inside, and the restaurant - Ivory Grille - was absolutely amazing.  Best meal I've had in ages, and the atmosphere is rich in history and romance.  So glad I found this place to stay while in town as Guest Speaker for the Sedalia art league.  Painting number 3347 in 3347 days.