The Railroad Trestle is a grand studio acrylic painting that honors one of Georgia’s few surviving historic rotating bridges—a “through-truss” structure spanning the Ocmulgee River just south of Lumber City on Highway 341. This imposing 36″ × 24″ work captures the bridge’s strong structural lines and weathered metal against the river’s signature muddy, tannin-stained waters (a distinctive reddish-brown hue from natural sediment and organic matter in the Coastal Plain). Overhanging trees draped in Spanish moss frame the scene, adding a classic Southern atmosphere and depth to the composition.
The painting was featured in Don Yaun’s one-man show at the Hazlehurst-Jeff Davis Historical Museum Society in June 2024, where it drew special attention. Originally intended for display only, it was accepted into the prestigious 2025 “Art of Georgia V: Landscapes” exhibition, hanging in Governor Brian Kemp’s executive offices and the Governor’s Mansion for one year—Don’s third consecutive year in the show. A local citizen, Optometrist Lloyd Mason, came specifically to see this piece after spotting it in promotional materials. Having fished the river around the trestle for many years and as a youth with his dad, Lloyd purchased it and graciously agreed to wait until the Capitol exhibition ends (early 2026) to take possession. The connection runs deep: Lloyd’s father, Herbert, worked for Don’s father in the early 1970s. Don treasures when his artwork stays close to home among his biggest supporters in Hazlehurst.
