Tammie Lynn Dickerson 

‘Along the Trail of Tears’

Oil 9x12

Watercolor 11x14

 "Blood Moon Exodus", was in the park, and since there had been a most beautiful full moon in Steelville those summer nights I was there, the bright Blood Moon made it into my painting. I tried to convey what it was like to walk in cold winter snows, night and day, to go where they were supposed to go. I read that they often wore the same kinds of clothes that pioneers did, so in the snow, their western dress often wasn't adequate to keep them warm. Walking sticks found along the trail may have helped them walk those many miles. I painted this one in the park, to the sounds of children playing and birdsong, so I didn't experience the same feelings I did when I painted the first one. It looks like an enjoyable walk in a beautiful snowy landscape; but maybe we can hope there were a few beautiful moments at times along this tragic trail.
Joyce Hartmann

Oil Print 8x10

Oil 11x14

Debbie Schaefer- “I painted this trying to visualize how they were forced away from the warmth of their own community and had to abandon the safety of home. Imagine how difficult it must have been to try and push your child into the cold and bitter weather when they were Ill or exhausted. The harsh landscape was even evident in the late summer as we painted . To have to endure a journey into the unknown must have been very frightening.”

Watercolor 10x12

Both paintings represent the hard ship to travel many days through all kinds of landscapes. The river’s could be running high and they would find a good crossing to continue their journey.

Watercolor 16x8

This paint was done thinking of the hardships of weather and terrain the people had to endure.
Jamie Green

Watercolor 11x14

Watercolor 11x14

Erlene Flowers

With the Clothes on Their Back

Acrylic 11x14

Watercolor 8x10
Patty Burmeister-
When I painted this, it was a sunny, beautiful, picturesque day in June, much like they may have had in June, 1838. The Indian Removal Act was put in full force for the Cherokee then. I thought of the irony that these beautiful souls had to face, such a brutal, ugly, and inhumane act on human beings, while walking on a trail that is full of beauty and brimming with life and vitality. I could imagine the innocence of the children, wanting to play along the river, while their parents and elders realized the brutal and inhumane injustice.

Oil 9x12

12x16 Acrylic on Aquaboard

While I was painting, “Humanity”, I listened to several audio stories, about what the people on the trail of tears experienced. I learned much. I decided to add a woman with her baby, and her pup sitting against the strength of this tree. I feel in doing so it conveyed a feeling of humanity, hence the title, “Humanity”. The process of painting this piece connected me to the time and place in history…I enjoyed painting this piece, as it always refreshing to be creative and go with the flow rather than just record the scenery in front of me. To be able channel this moment in history, was my pleasure to paint this. It was a very moving experience. Gabriele Baber

Oil 11x14

Oil 12x16

I love to paint almost any subject that is in front of me. Everything is fun to see and explore with a paint brush. The changing light and the different seasons are awe-inspiring. Painting outdoors involves the excitement of becoming fully attuned to my surroundings. I have always loved the outdoors, so when plein air painting and I met in 2000, it just seemed to go hand in hand with my outdoorsy nature. Painting in plein air is challenging, as the light quickly changes. I started painting with Missouri Plein Air Painters Association, MOPAPA, which further inspired me to paint outdoors. Painting is a personal journey into the discovery of how beautiful the natural world is.

Oil 8x10

Painted on Long Springs road, this is part of the Trail of Tears that runs through Steelville.  We were asked to capture the story in paint as we stood in the very place they walked.  It was emotional. I had read some of the history the night before, and could not imagine their plight, especially the mothers who were losing their babies. This painting will join others that will be auctioned off in support of a sculpture to commemorate this trail.  Those souls should not be forgotten. I am honored to have this painting awarded an Honorable Mention for the Trail of Tears Paint Out. Painting number 4542 in 4542 days. 

Pen & Ink (4 sketches) 11x14

Oil, 11x14

Veronica Brown

Sorrow (Color)

16” Round

Veronica Brown

Sorrow (Sepia)

16” Round

Susan Rogers, Pastel 13x13

Susan Rogers- Such a sad story of the proud, resilient Cherokee. My goal was to instill the beauty of nature as they crossed the shallow river. They went unwillingly to a different place very far away to survive. This was done plein air (in open air) in 2023. Using pastels and framing with Tru Vue Ultravu glass so that this 13 x 13 pastel will stand the test of time. 

Renee Hackmann, Oil 14x18 

When we were asked to paint at the park in Steelville where the “Trail of Tears” had passed through, I was attracted to the reflection of the trees on the water of a bog. As I painted, I could feel a melancholy energy. This young Native American girl is touching the water, reaching back to the painful journey of her people. Her spirit is guiding us to remember never to repeat such a tragic loss of human life and dignity.
Renee Hackman

Gin Lammert, Pastel 12x12

When I spotted this stream bed, I instantly thought of how it could've been a place for those walking on the Trail of Tears might stop and find renewed energy from the clear running water.

Joyce Hartmann- Watercolor 11x14

I was qite emotional as I painted it, because my husband Bob and I were sitting right on the trail, a lonely forgotten place full of weeds, birdson, and loud cicada rasping. I almost felt the hardships those native Americans suffered, and how many of them died en route, especially after Bob's exploratory walk turned up several gravestones with dates in the 1800s, of people who lived there later. There were spirits all around me. I was really sad as I painted this one, and depicted some of those spirits walking and looking down from the sky at their experiences.

Larry Siwek- Watercolor 11x14

“As I was painting it, I imagined, even though they were being driven from their home, they retained their dignity. They were still cautious and didn’t let down their guard. The brave that is pictured , regardless of his circumstances, remains proud and vigilant.”

Denny Dowdy- Watercolor 11x17

“The Big Valley" is a painting I created for the Steeleville Plein Air event. The thematic challenge of the event was the Trail of Tears. I drove down a country road adjacent to Steeleville City Park, which was part of the historical Trail of Tears route. Upon traversing this road, I came across a picturesque valley that captured my attention. Seated on the tailgate of my truck, I envisioned the Native American travelers camping in this valley beside a pond, utilizing the fresh water source for themselves and their horses. The painting depicts the scene of the travelers departing the campsite in the morning.

T. Hudson- Acrylic 8x10 Day 4 of the Steelville Plein Air painting competition was all about painting on location at the “Trail of Tears” and remembering the tragic fate of so many Cherokee that suffered through the harsh winter believing there was a promise at the end of the trail*

Debra Wizen

They Had Families

 Oil 8x10

Cynthia Schanink- watercolor 16 x 20

Both paintings represent the hard ship to travel many days through all kinds of landscapes. The river’s could be running high and they would find a good crossing to continue their journey.

Michael McClure - Acrylic 11x14

This painting mirrors the hardship of a forced journey away from home. As an artist i paint to express and share with others the endless beauty of the world. Michael McClure

Joe Patterson

Trail of Tears,  Joe Patterson#2

Acrylic 5x24

Dennis Babbitt - Oil 8x12

Well, my thoughts on the painting were that by the time they had reached Missouri, they would have struggled for a couple of months through many types of weather and other hardships. They carried only what they could, leaving everything else behind. Many had very prosperous lives, including some slaves, that they lost when rounded up and forced from their homes. Basically, they were walking dead. So unfortunate and unfair.

Allen Kriegshauser - Oil 16x20

My painting, titled Weary, is my attempt to capture a glimpse of that anguish. It reflects the misery of the Cherokee as they crossed Missouri near Steelville, enduring bitter cold with little support or resources.

Leigh Coffman

Will this be Remembered

Oil 16 x 20

Lorraine McFarland - Pastel,11x14

Winter on the Trail of Tears, 14x11, and unimaginable hardship.  In my latest painting,  I sought to capture just a glimpse of that suffering as Cherokee passed through Steelville, Missouri, enduring frigid snow and bitter cold.

I’ve shown a mother carrying her baby on her back. She has used her shawl to wrap and carry the baby, leaving her head exposed to the bitter cold.  This Choice speaks of the sacrifices made along the journey.  She is a reminder of the countless personal stories often left untold.

This is a studio painting, but the painting I did at the Steelville plein air event included a covered wagon. I've since learned that archeological studies suggest that by the time the Cherokee reached Missouri, many wagons had broken down. I replaced it with a figure on horseback to more accurately reflect the reality of the journey. The horse, in this context. becomes not only a means of survival but also a partner in endurance – Embodying resilience amidst relentless hardship.

Through this painting, I hope viewers not only see history but feel the great sadness of it. The bitter cold and snow, the mother's sacrifice, and the weary travelers are reminders of the endurance of the many native Americans who were forced out of their homes and the Sorrow of the many who died along the way.