Evolution of the Painting "The Lakota: Children of the Prairie"

Of all the subjects I have tackled in my career as an artist, horses, sailboats, and people in their natural element are my favorite.  I can't explain it, I'm just drawn to those subjects.  So, when I first saw the image from photographer Aaron Huey's journey to the Pine Ridge Reservation in the Badland's National Park, South Dakota, I knew I had to paint it.