The St. Louis Artists’ Guild presents the entire collection of Painting Missouri: The Counties en Plein Air – 115 original oil paintings in museum quality frames by the Internationally renowned artist, Billyo O’Donnell www.billyoart.com from July 28, 2017 until September 2, 2017.

Billyo began “painting Missouri” in 2001 and for seven years traveled over 150,000 miles across Missouri painting each of its 114 counties along with the city of St. Louis. He often went to a region three or more times to locate just the right subject for his work of art. His travels included painting outdoors in cold frigid winters, hot blistery summers, and during the awe-inspiring spring and fall seasons in Missouri that the paintings reflect. As he traveled, he met hundreds of people across the state who shared their stories of the many counties in the state.

Historically this collection includes images of towns painted one week before a tornado devastated the region, a building that is part of a story from the 1800s, along with landscapes and farm scenes that offer an interesting view from every turn and angle. Billyo was thrilled to receive permission to paint the city of St. Louis from atop the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis on Lindell Blvd.

Since 2008, the 115-piece exhibit has traveled across Missouri to nearly 50 venues with a presentation by Billyo and Karen Glines, author of the book Painting Missouri: The Counties en Plein Air, who wrote historical and thought-provoking essays about each of the 114 counties and the city of St. Louis. The book received the Governor’s Award in 2009.