Posted on Sep 10, 2022
Kansas City artist makes it home after paddling all 2,341 miles of the Missouri River
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Steve Snell encountered rough weather, angry cows, swarms of mosquitoes and hard paddling. The paintings and videos that he made along the way tell the story of his adventures on the Mighty Mo.
Artist Steve Snell spent this summer paddling the Missouri River, the longest in the United States. Beginning in June, he took 88 days to paddle 2,341 miles — from the headwaters in Three Forks, Montana, to Saint Louis, Missouri, where it merges with the Mississippi River.
Along the river’s gravel bars and lakes, Snell encountered rough weather, angry cows, swarms of mosquitoes and hard paddling. As he traveled, Snell created paintings and videos that tell the story of his adventures on the Mighty Mo.
"I met so many people and I made more friends, I think, over this last summer than I probably have over the last five years, which really surprised me, being alone as much as I was," Snell says.
Artist Steve Snell spent this summer paddling the Missouri River, the longest in the United States. Beginning in June, he took 88 days to paddle 2,341 miles — from the headwaters in Three Forks, Montana, to Saint Louis, Missouri, where it merges with the Mississippi River.
Along the river’s gravel bars and lakes, Snell encountered rough weather, angry cows, swarms of mosquitoes and hard paddling. As he traveled, Snell created paintings and videos that tell the story of his adventures on the Mighty Mo.
"I met so many people and I made more friends, I think, over this last summer than I probably have over the last five years, which really surprised me, being alone as much as I was," Snell says.
Kansas City artist makes it home after paddling all 2,341 miles of the Missouri River
Posted from kcur.org
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Kansas City
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."On the lower Missouri River, Snell's paddling became much easier. He was even able to make several paintings from his canoe.
“There was good current and long stretches of relatively straight water, so I could use my feet to control the rudder system and make a painting on the boat,” he says.
Snell's first attempt painting on the water resulted in the work “From the Canoe Near Rulo, Nebraska.” It’s now one of Snell’s favorite watercolors.
Snell says he set out to create an updated portrait of the Missouri River, showing the mark that humans have made. But once he got on the river, his interests changed. A few of his paintings feature a subtle power line or a bridge, but most show little evidence of humans.
“You're getting my point of view, and even then it's getting selected down to what am I interested in painting,” Snell says, “For me, it's the river and the color.”
Snell says this trip and the paintings he’s made have deepened his connection to the Missouri River.
“I love this river,” Snell says. “I feel like there's this lifelong bond, and I want to go back. Going through the video footage is kind of hard because you see these things, you know, like — oh! I could be there right now. I could totally go back right now.”
..."On the lower Missouri River, Snell's paddling became much easier. He was even able to make several paintings from his canoe.
“There was good current and long stretches of relatively straight water, so I could use my feet to control the rudder system and make a painting on the boat,” he says.
Snell's first attempt painting on the water resulted in the work “From the Canoe Near Rulo, Nebraska.” It’s now one of Snell’s favorite watercolors.
Snell says he set out to create an updated portrait of the Missouri River, showing the mark that humans have made. But once he got on the river, his interests changed. A few of his paintings feature a subtle power line or a bridge, but most show little evidence of humans.
“You're getting my point of view, and even then it's getting selected down to what am I interested in painting,” Snell says, “For me, it's the river and the color.”
Snell says this trip and the paintings he’s made have deepened his connection to the Missouri River.
“I love this river,” Snell says. “I feel like there's this lifelong bond, and I want to go back. Going through the video footage is kind of hard because you see these things, you know, like — oh! I could be there right now. I could totally go back right now.”
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