Red is a highly symbolic color: of death, blood and violence.  It can also symbolize exuberance, sexiness, richness, fame.  What many Americans don’t realize is, red has many different meanings globally.  Some brides wear red, some people wear red in mourning.  Understanding a reference to color in a cultural piece, therefore, requires understanding of the culture in which it was created.

In my painting, I am doing a great deal of research into the Northern Plains Indians, particularly the Sioux tribes which most recently roamed by region before the white man came.  The Sioux tribe is still a large presence in the culture of South Dakota, and always will be.