Moira Red corn, artist
Ritual of a Peaceful Day, 2020
Oil on paper

Last fall I traveled with several cousins to the Hood Museum in Hanover, N.H. There I saw an inspirational painting by Stephen Hannock. Hannock used words and photographs hidden throughout a landscape painting. I felt like they were little gems hidden in a huge landscape. I’ve carried that image with me knowing I would use the combination someday. The pandemic brought the opportunity. Drawing on the Osage landscape and the Wi-gi-e translated by Francis La Flesche and published by the Smithsonian, I painted this painting highlighting my journey through the pandemic. I am grateful to Charles Wah-hre-she and Saucy Calf who controversially shared their knowledge with La Flesche, and my nephew Christopher Cote who helped write this Wi-gi-e in our modern orthography.

I say this Wi-gi-e, in both Osage and English, every morning as I watch the sunrise.