Gallery of Artwork & Limited Edition Prints by American Country Artist Patricia Hobson

As many of you already know, I have challenged myself to do a painting of Daniel Boone and his family crossing the Yadkin River at the Shallow Ford in Huntsville, North Carolina.

In the the summer of 1748, Squire and Sarah (Morgan) Boone with their large family, including their son Daniel, left their home in Pennsylvania to travel to their new home in North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley. Their journey took almost two years and covered nearly 500 miles. In the spring of 1750, as the Boone family crossed their last barrier, the Shallow Ford, they were filled with anticipation and hope. They would soon reach their new home in North Carolina.

This project actually got started in January of 2011. Wow, what a project it become. When I discussed and decided to do this artist rendition of Daniel Boone and his family crossing the Yadkin River at the Shallow Ford, I was thinking maybe it would be a couple of covered wagons and a family with a milk cow tethered to the back of one of the wagons. Below, you will see just how much bigger this painting has become. I've taken this as a personal goal to as accurately as possible present this historic scene. To the best of my knowledge, no one has ever done this before.

Future Prints for sale

I have joined forces with the "Daniel Boone Heratige Trail Group of North Carolina." Upon the completion of this painting, I will be publishing limited edition prints of it that will be available for sale from the "DBHTGNC" or myself. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each print will be given to this organization. Our joint purpose will be to identify and celebrate the life, journeys, and cultural heritage of that great American frontiersman known as Daniel Boone through art and promote tourism here in North Carolina. Daniel may have been born in Pennsylvania; but, from his first trip to the Yadkin River Valley Region in 1751, he knew our state of North Carolina would be his home where he would marry his sweet Rebecca and raise a family.

The Ultimate Goal

"Since I have been so excited about this painting, my new goal is that it will be the beginning of a series of paintings depicting the life and travels of our "Daniel Boone" including this crossing of the Yadkin to his marriage and on to Kentucky where he sees buffalo for the very first. Can you even imagine buffalo in Kentucky?

I hope each of you will take and enjoy this journey with me!

I am starting this page so that each of you will be able to watch as I work from sketch to finished painting. The page begins with the first of many sketches. Every few days I will post new photos of the painting as I work. So, here we go!
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March 30, 2012

First Sketch

First of all, I would like to say please excuse my pictures. I'm definitly not a photographer.
I have pictured 17 year old Daniel up front in the middle. To the right of Daniel is his father, Squire Boone, sitting on his horse with Mama, Sarah Boone, by his side observing this multitude of family, friends and livestock crossing crossing the last barrier before arriving at their new home.. To the left of Daniel, I have portraied his dogs, Plott Hounds, excitedly investigating a turtle at the edge of the water with 2 of his brothers enjoying the fun. Moving on back, I've included a small wagon, pulled by oxen, loaded with supplies and topped off with 4 of the small children who obviously could not walk across the river. Behind the wagon is one of the mothers with another child on a horse supervising the kids on the wagon. Teathered to the back of this wagon is a milk cow. Got to have that milk. Then, as far back as you can see is a continuous parade of humanity and livestock coming into the Yadkin Valley.
When I found out that the Boone's did not come south with covered wagons, I was amazed. They'er journey was 300+ miles. And they walked all the way sleeping in caves and under the stars. Small wagons and carts were used to transport the heaviest things. While pack horses and the travelers carried the rest of their gear.

Above is the finished sketch as seen on the canvas before any paint is applied. You will notice that the trees and bottom two thirds of the picture has a gray cast . This is due to the fact that I have mask off these areas so that I can paint the sky and background without getting paint on them. There are several products on the market for masking these areas; however, I have found that plain old clear packing tape does a great job and is a lot cheaper. I put strips of the tape across the places that I do not want paint on at this time. Then I very carefully use an Exacto knife to trim away the excess which bring me to this next picture.

With any painting the practical place to start is the sky since it is the fartherest way and work your way to the front of the picture. This picture shows the sky that I have just painted.

Now, I have started painting the trees in the far background. They will be painted in layers becoming clearer the closer they get as you will see.

April 23, 2012

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Since the last posting, I have painted all the water.


The beach area had to be painted prior to the water simply because the water laps over the bank.

The water is painted, however, there are details left to add to it. These include the splashes made by the people, animals and wagon moving through the water. They will be added as each element is painted in. To finish the water, some more highlights may be added.

This picture turned out so great that I just had to share it. The family of deer have come to the river bank for water and watch in awe as the Boone family ford the Yadkin. After all, it was their home first.
From this point my next task will be to start painting the people and animals. As always, I will be starting with the one farther est away.

May 14, 2012

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As you see here, the parade of Boone's just keeps on coming.

Since they did not have covered wagons, The Boone's carried their belongings and used pack horses.

As the people and animals get larger, you can really see the details.



In this shot, you can see that I've just painted the faces and added color to the clothes with no details.

The pics that you have just seen have panned from the far right to the far left side.
Building up to the overall view below.


Until next time, Peace fellow journeymen.

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The following is a list of the Boone family members who came along on the trip.

* Squire Boone "Daniel's father:" Born November 25, 1696. Age 56.
* Sarah ( Morgan ) Boone "Daniel's Mother:" Born in 1700. Age 52. Married Squire Boone on July 23, 1720.
* Elizabeth Boone: 5th child of Squire and Sarah. Born February 5 1732. Age 20
* Daniel Boone: 6th child of Squire and Sarah. Born October 22, 1734. Age 17.
* Mary Boone: 7th child of Squire and Sarah. Born November 3, 1736. Age 16.
* George Boone: 8th child of Squire and Sarah. Born January 2, 1739. Age 13.
* Edward Boone: 9th child of Squire and Sarah. Born November 14, 1740. Age 12.
* Squire Boone Jar.: 10th child of Squire and Sarah. Born 1744. Age about 8.
* Hannah Boone: 11th child of Squire and Sarah. Born1746. Age about 6.
* Unnamed Boy: Nephew of Squire Boone. Born around 1740. Age about 12.
* Sarah (Boone) Wilcoxon: First child of Squire and Sarah. Born June 7, 1724. Age 28. Married to John Wilcoxon in 1742. Expecting child.
* John Wilcoxon: Husband of Squire and Sarah's first child Sarah.

Sarah and John Willcockson's children that came from Pennsylvania to North Carolina:
* Elizabeth Willcockson: 1st child of Sarah and John. Born early 1742. Age 8.
* David Wilcoxon: 2nd child of Sarah and John. Born October 22, 1742. Age 71/2.
* George Willcockson: 3rd child of Sarah and John. Born 1743. Age 7 .
* John Willcockson Jr: 4th child of Sarah and John. Born 1744. Age 6.
* Nancy Wilcoxon: 5th child of Sarah and John. Born May 17, 1745. Age 5.
* Isaac Willcockson: 6th child of Sarah and John. Born 1746. Age 4.
* Israel Willcockson: 7th child of Sarah and John. Born 1748. Age 2.

Children born to Sarah and John Willcockson after crossing the Yadkin River.
* Samuel: 8th Child of Sarah and John. Born 1755.
* Daniel: 9th child of Sara and John. Born 1765.
*William: 10th child. Born 1756.
* Mary: 11th child. Born 1759.
* Rachel: 12th child. Born 1765.
* Sarah: 13th child. Born 1769.

* Israel Boone: 2nd Child of Squire and Sarah. Born May 9, 1726. Age 26.
* Martha Boone: Name and age unknown. Married Israel Boone 1747.

Israel and Martha's children that came from Pennsylvania to North Carolina
* Jesse: 1st child of Israel and Wife. Born early 1748.

Children born to Israel and Martha Boone after crossing the Yadkin River
* Jonathan: 3rd child of Israel and Wife. Born Late 1750.
*Mary Elizabeth: Born November 21 1752.
*Sarah: Born 1754.

* Samuel Boone: 3rd child of Squire and Sarah. Born May 20, 1728. Age 22. Married Sarah Day 1748.
* Sarah (Day) Boone: Wife of Samuel Boone. Age unknown.

* Children born to Samuel and Sarah after crossing the Yadkin River:
The only information I have is that 6 children were born to them after the river crossing.
If anyone has any information about this please contact me
myfavoriteartist@gmail.com

* Jonathan Boone: 4th child of Squire and Sarah. Born December 6, 1730. Age 22.
* Mary (Carter) Boone: Wife of Jonathan Boone. Age unknown.

Children born to Jonathan and Mary Carter after crossing the Yadkin River
* Daniel Boone: First child of Jonathan and Mary. Born 1751.
The only information I have is that 6 children were born to them after the river crossing.
If anyone has any information about this, please contact me
myfavoriteartist@gmail.com

*And of course Daniel's hunting dogs (Plott Hounds) came too. Number and names unknown.

*We can also assume that other families may have accompanied the Boones' on this journey.
If anyone has any information about these people, please contact me
myfavoriteartist@gmail.com

New Painting Change

Sadly, I must report that the painting that I was doing of Daniel Boone and Family crossing the Yadkin River had to be scrapped. The person who I depended on to furnish me with the information needed to depict the scene as historically accurate as possible let me down. In December 2012 it was brought to my attention that the clothing in the painting was more indicative of the 1850’s than the 1750’s, Daniel’s best friend Henry Miller did not come all the way to North Carolina on this journey and there were more people in the family than I had included. These things could have been taken care of relatively easy with additional work. However, when I was informed that the Boone’s did not come south with covered wagons of any kind, I was crushed and made the only decision I could. Not to be outdone, I would scrap a year of work and start over.

With the new year of 2012, I began to do my own research with the help of a friend with the Daniel Boone Heritage Trail Group, some of my followers of this project as well as the Boone Society’s Margie Miles. Bye the end of January, I was ready to begin a new sketch. Even though I was able to salvage some aspects of the original painting, I was once again faced with drawing a depiction of an historical event of which there was no pictures or written account of the event.

Finally, in the wee hours of Saturday morning, March 10, the sketch on paper was finished and ready for transfer to canvas. I do my best work at night. Unlike the first painting, the Boone family had grown to such a large number that a representation of each and every member was impossible. Of course the main caricatures, Squire, “Mama” Sarah and of course Daniel Boone are right up front. The following week, I transferred the sketch to canvas and began painting again at last. The original painting will measure 25.5 inches high X 48.5 inches wide. Prints reproduced from the finished painting will have an image size of 13.25 inches high X 25.5 inches wide.

The support you all have given me over the last year has been inspiring. Through this project, I have come to know and communicated with so many new friends, as far away as Africa and Australia, over the internet and by phone. So, I sincerely hope that each of you will stay in contact and continue following with me on this journey as Daniel Boone once again attempts to lead his family across the mighty Yadkin River.

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Copyrights from 1989-2012 reserve all rights for any artwork contained in this site to artist Patricia Hobson ©
Patricia Hobson, 2635 Snider Rd, Yadkinville, NC. Contact phone # 336-756-0248.