Wood sculpture with paint

The art work’s title, When the Stars Fell From the Sky, refers to the convergence of two historical events. In November 1833, the Leonid meteor shower unleashed hundreds of thousands on meteors per hour and led many to think it was the end of the world. In 1833, the Chippewa, Potawatomi and Odawa people signed a treaty in Chicago that ceded 5 million acres as part of the Indian Removal Act. Removal effectively ended many tribal lifeways and traditions. This piece also depicts the dilemma that tribal leaders faced in deciding whether to fight, flee or accept US demands.