A Painting Journey Along the Mighty Mississippi River

The View from the Bluffs at our Afternoon Painting Location

We have always been inspired by rivers big and small. Whether the subject is interesting wildlife or fabulous light or the raw power of nature, there is always something great to see and paint along them. Over the years, we have returned to these rivers again and again to try and capture that special something they possess. The Mississippi is no exception. Or to be precise, it is very exceptional, but often overlooked by artists these days. Overlooking the Mississippi is exactly what we came to do atop the 300 foot limestone cliffs at Elsah, Illinois. This article chronicles our painting trip along the Mississippi near the spot where Lewis and Clark set off to discover the American West and where both the Missouri and Illinois rivers join the Mississippi and help make it the central most important and mighty waterway in the U.S.