depict a young woman in a natural setting with a large animal hovering over them without fear. Both paintings also use bold colors and simplified forms. However, Shooster’s painting is more com- plex and allegorical. The symbolism in Shooster’s painting is more sophisticated, and the painting’s overall message is more nuanced. The painting’s setting, the badlands of North Da- kota, is a place of great beauty and natural wonder but also a place of danger. The badlands got their name from covered wagons as they found that travel would be far less than ideal in those hills. The painting suggests that the natural world is a source of both danger and hope. The painting’s use of symbolism is complex and nuanced. The flute snake, buffalo skull, Bighorn sheep, and drummer have multiple meanings. The painting invites the viewer to interpret its mean- ing on a deeper level.
White Buffalo Calf Woman (Lakxótiyapi: Pt- esáŋwiŋ) or White Buffalo Maiden is a sacred woman of supernatural origin, central to the La- kota religion as the primary cultural prophet. Oral traditions relate that she brought the “Seven Sa- cred Rites” to the Lakota people. Overall, “American Dreamer” is a significant work of art that is both visually arresting and thought-provoking. The painting challenges the boundaries of traditional painting, and it offers a unique perspective on the Lakota Indian Creation story. Shooster is a talented artist who is creating work that is both beautiful and meaningful.
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