In this painting, I was thinking about how the Missouri River divides North and South Dakota, both geographically and culturally. Having lived on both sides of the river in South Dakota, the differences vary from tangible to intangible.

The background in this painting depicts a view of the river, with a Jackdaw grasping at a key. The painting, like the states, is also dramatically divided by a sheet or curtain of fabric, in a way like a stage curtain.