Making a Mark: Jean Fugate Besalke

Jean Fugate Besalke is the featured artist in the Making a Mark: Hannibal’s Creatives Program. Fugate Besalke will present her works and discuss the inspiration behind them on April 11th at 5:30 pm at the Museum Gallery at 120 North Main Street as part of the Second Saturday Art Walk in Downtown Hannibal. A local artist and small business are coming together to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the publication of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and donate to Mark Twain’s boyhood home. Jean Fugate Besalke had a dream and couldn’t wait to get her inspiration on to canvas. She then found it hard to stop at one painting. Fugate Besalke created a collection of watercolor paintings inspired by 150th Anniversary of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” The feature piece shows a black monochrome portrait of Mark Twain against a red, white, and blue American flag. A stunning 22”x28” watercolor on canvas that celebrates the “Father of American Literature” and the story that was inspired by his childhood in the Mississippi River town. Fugate Besalke also created an original 11”x14” watercolor painting of Tom and Becky and four smaller original watercolors featuring the monochrome portrait of Mark Twain. Fugate Besalke sells her unique works at local shops and galleries like the Blue Daisy in Downtown Hannibal. When she approached Blue Daisy shop owner Travis Marler about her dream, he was excited to take part. Jean and Travis decided to donate a portion of the proceeds of the sales of the paintings and limited prints to the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum Tom and Becky Program. The original paintings are on display at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum Gallery Auditorium. Anyone interested in purchasing the original paintings or numbered prints of the smaller paintings can purchase them from the Blue Daisey at 320 North Main Street in Downtown Hannibal.