This piece is a gouache painting set in the early 1800s. It was originally intended to be a sample work before being sold to Don Stevens, chief of the Vermont Abenaki tribe. I created this piece with the intention of capturing the Abenaki people's deep connection to the natural world.

Within this illustration an Abenaki woman crouches, looking out over the water in front of her. Atop her head is a red peaked hat. Commonly crafted out of wool, peaked hats were a typical part of an Abenaki woman's daily wardrobe. To the left of the woman is her birchbark canoe, a method of transportation used by the Abenaki and many other tribes for centuries. A painted turtle (or tulba in Abenaki) rests beside the canoe. Above it all flies a golden eagle, presumably searching for its next meal in the water below. Both of these species are native to Vermont, although golden eagles are a rare sight. Beyond the water on the opposite shore a group of eastern white pines grows, creating the backdrop for this scene.