Adventure Art on the Mighty Mo’

Steve Snell presented his river-based art practice and his recent adventure down the Missouri River. He also premiered an episode from his forthcoming video series…

Published: March 14, 2023

Presentation by Steve Snell, Associate Professor of Art, Foundation Dept., Kansas City Art Institute

Click here to view the presentation on YouTube

Hosted by Missouri River Relief

Steve Snell presented his river-based art practice and his recent adventure down the Missouri River. He also premiered an episode from his forthcoming video series, Adventure Art on the Mighty Mo’.

Adventure Art on the Mighty Mo’ is a video series about art, adventure, and life along the Missouri River told through the act of painting, storytelling, and paddling all 2,341 miles of it. Each episode takes place along a different section of the river, in which a watercolor painting is created. Painting is the vessel through which larger questions are asked, observations made, and river stories told.

Steve Snell wants adventure, or at least the image of one. His work often engages American history and mythology, and since moving to Kansas City eight years ago, has focused on the Missouri River. This has resulted in a body of work that includes river paintings, documentary videos, and sculptures that are also boats. Steve most recently paddled and painted the entire Missouri River in a canoe in search of adventure and art and he most definitely found both.

His work is represented by Weinberger Fine Art in Kansas City, Missouri, and Courtney Collins Fine Art in Big Sky, Montana. His work has also been shown in galleries and film festivals throughout the country. He has been an Artist-in-Residence at the Tallgrass National Preserve in Kansas, the Teton ArtLab in Wyoming, and along the Chilkoot Trail in Alaska and British Columbia, which was sponsored by the National Parks Service and Parks Canada. Steve earned his M.F.A. in Studio Art from the University of Massachusetts Amherst as well as a B.F.A. in Painting from Miami University. He is currently an Associate Professor of Art in the Foundation Department at the Kansas City Art Institute. He lives in Kansas City with his wife and son.

White Cliffs at Hole-in-the-Wall, Missouri Breaks, 6-14-22
From the Canoe, Near Rulo, NE, 8-12-22
The Bistro
Mid America Arts Alliance
KC Art Institute

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Special thanks to Les Bourgeois Vineyards for giving us the opportunity to use their beautiful space overlooking the Missouri River. All speakers are presenting for free! Thank you all for sharing your knowledge with us!

The Big Muddy Speaker Series also takes place in Kansas City and St. Charles.


The views and opinions expressed by our presenters do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of Missouri River Relief, the Big Muddy Speaker Series or any of the partners that support this public forum. The Big Muddy Speaker Series believes that hearing diverse perspectives is a crucial building block for an informed public.


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