This is an original oil on gessoed panel of a local sunset done partly on location and partly in the studio.  I love the way the water multiplies the effect of sky colors and makes the sunset seem longer than it really is.  I wanted to  capture the warm, humid, still summer evening.  The prime sunset colors occurred about 15 minutes before the sun disappeared, so for me just not enough time to actually paint on location for this subject. 

 

Location of the painting is at Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Spring Branch picnic area below the castle.  (If you see the remains of the huge 1920s rock mansion, you would know why we call it a castle.)  

 

The Osage Indians named the spring of gushing water Laughing Spirit (Ha Ha Tonka).  In 1906 Robert Snyder later purchased the property and started building the huge rock mansion.  The mansion wasn't finished until the 1930s and included multiple huge fireplaces scattered throughout all 3 floors.  The water source for the mansion came from Ha Ha Tonka spring.  The water was pumped from the spring up to a water tower on the top of the bluff probably half a mile from the mansion.  Then in 1942 one of the many fireplace caught the roof on fire and left the castle ruins we see today. 

 

See www.cherylcoenfineart.com for more details on Ozarks Sunset.