A nation is not conquered
Until the hearts of its women
are on the ground.
Then it is finished,
No matter how brave its warriors
Or how strong their weapons.

- Cheyenne Proverb

This Cheyenne woman wears an everyday dress of doeskin. Around her waist is a belt decorated with brass tacks, and attached is a knife in a fringed and beaded sheath. Her baby's cradleboard is secured by straps around her chest and shoulders. You'll notice the two long boards that protrude from the top of the cradleboard - those served an important function. When the Cheyenne were on horseback following the buffalo, cradleboards were commonly hung by a strap around the cantle of a saddle. If a strap came off and the cradleboard dropped down, the long, heavy boards would strike the ground first, absorbing the shock of the fall and protecting the child against injury.

This is a "textured" canvas edition created using a unique combination of canvas and an oil-based substrate, which is molded to replicate the artist's brushstrokes.