Join bicentennial painting project

Do you know a boy or girl who loves dinosaurs? Do you love dinosaurs? Come to Painted Wren Art Gallery and become part of Missouri history by participating in something you and they will always remember.

Barb Bailey and I, Painted Wren Art Gallery artists, are assisting visitors to the gallery in painting a large mural to celebrate Missouri's 200th birthday. This Bicentennial project will give upwards of 25,000-plus people the opportunity to participate. This project is bigger than any one of us and will include more participants than any other event celebrating Missouri's Bicentennial.

The dinosaur panel is now being painted at Painted Wren Art Gallery. Visitors can paint one 2-inch triangle for free. There are approximately 250 triangles on the dinosaur left to be painted. Seven of these triangles are on the dinosaur's head. The dinosaur panel is one of 15 4-by-6 foot panels depicting 18 Missouri state symbols. These panels will be put together to create a large 12-by-30 foot Missouri 2021 mural.

We are also traveling around Missouri with these panels. They've already traveled to Perryville and West Plains. Oran is the next stop when the city celebrates its 150th birthday on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. We will be there with the panel depicting the Missouri state musical instrument, the fiddle.

People of any age and any ability are encouraged to participate in this fun, two-year project. Keep up with us on the Missouri Bicentennial Paint For A Cause Facebook page or our website mo2021mural.org.

AARON HORRELL, Cape Girardeau