Turmoil of Change
I am at this stage of my life reflecting on change: how it is necessary and how it is inevitable, and how it is so DIFFICULT!
Our world would not exist as we know it without change… time changes, we age, the seasons change (in South Dakota they do!) I crave change and fight it at the same time!
“Blood, Sweat, Tears” 11 x 30” Watercolor and Gouache on Paper
America is a nation intrinsically linked to the histories of the many people who first inhabited the continent. Records of their lives and struggles go back to pre-history and are found etched into rock walls. Later, the Plains Indians used hides as a portable record, depicting important events to illustrate the narrative story handing down of their ancestral history. As tribes were forced onto reservations, they often utilized discarded ledger books to continue the tradition.
Lives of turmoil and struggle are depicted in these images. The vital importance of food sources and the significance of the horse are often rendered. To the Plains Indians, bison were vital. Nothing from the bison was wasted: it fed, clothed, and sheltered them, as well as provided materials necessary for survival in battle.
Conflict with enemies was frequent and shields for protection are also commonly rendered. The Teton Sioux shield incorporated into the painting is made of symbolic and naturally occurring materials: hide, hawk feathers, wool cloth, paint and sinew.