• Above: Full Image.

American Spirit was created with the spirit of America in mind. For me, I thought about the first inhabitants of the land, the Natives, and the buffalo which they hunted that roamed the land for centuries. So, it reflects that moment from when they used to roam to when the United States became established. The buffalo fades into the stripes of the flag, there is a Native turned soldier riding a horse and carrying a flag in the blue square of the bigger flag; and, really, he's climbing the back of the buffalo, a mountain once thought impassable, nearly endangered. To me, the American Spirit is not the conquering of the land, but what the land once inhabited.

Extras

• This piece was made by painting with hands and fingers.

• This piece was entered into the Nebraska State Fair, and received 5th place ranking in Oil, Acrylic, Permanent Media: Professional Animals, Birds, Other Wildlife Class.