Original paintings from ‘Hannibal at the Door’ to be displayed at Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum will kick off a new series, “Marking a Mark,” at 2 p.m. Friday, March 7.

The first in the series will be Richard and Patricia Garey. They moved to Hannibal in 2003 and opened The Planter’s Barn Theater to host Richard’s one-man show, “Mark Twain Himself.” In 2017, Patricia opened The Mississippi River Gallery, which was both a gallery space for her award-winning watercolor paintings and a frame shop.

The couple embarked on a project in 2016 to restore the historic Robard’s Mansion on Sixth Street. The history of the building and its original occupants inspired Richard to write a series of poems. Patricia, inspired by the poetry, painted 11 original watercolors of various characters from the poems. This became the book, “Hannibal at the Door,” an illustrated poetry collection deeply connected to the town that inspired it.

The original paintings from “Hannibal at the Door” will be on display in the museum gallery auditorium for March. At 2 p.m. Thursday, Richard and Patricia will provide reading from the book, talk about their processes and discuss what it is about this town continues to inspire them.

This event is free to the public. The book will be available for purchase at the museum gallery gift shop.