The small town of Zell lies in Ste. Genevieve Missouri. It is a town of farms, rolling hills and a charm of the distant 'good old days'. I painted this from a photo I took in the early morning mist. This painting may look calm, but just before I took the picture my friend Mike D. and I were just rushed by a huge hog. I ran for cover to my car. Zell Catholic church is in the background. 
There is nothing like the first day of spring, especially after a long winter. It is a soothing experience to feel that gentle cool breeze and the sun's warmth after its been absent for so long. Well, this was one of those days. I painted this from a photograph in Ste. Genevieve County. Here, a young girl explores the edge of the pond with a stick. That day, I thought about how nice it would be if I was a kid again with not much to do or think about except what I'm gonna eat or where I'm gonna play. 
I came across these two cedar trees in Ste. Genevieve County. Immediately, they reminded me of Vangogh's Cypresses. So, I walked around them, positioned the barn in view and snapped the photo in a vertical format to include more of that incredible sky. Later, while I was painting it, I couldn't help exaggerate the form of the Cedar trees to mimick that of the Cypress. 
