ENCOUNTER TEN - SELF-PORTRAIT AS PLETKA INDIAN Painting

My experience with real American Indians is limited to what I encounter in Santa Fe, New Mexico and growing up on a ranch in central Colorado. There are many artists that continue to portray the American Indian and the theme is popular in the American Southwest. I wanted to convey the power of the individual in his element - perhaps railing against change. The wind in his hair and dress represents this. My favorite contemporary "Indian Artists" are Fritz Scholder, Rick Bartow and Paul Pletka. The bobcat is part of the symbolism of nature and wildness.