I am in mourning because I cannot return to my adopted country of Niger. I have been there, living part-time and working with the nomads for over 30 years. When I see paintings by the masters of the American West I see beautiful images of noble people recreated from imagination. This portrait is of a friend of mine, Nassamou, who is dancing at a Gerewol festival of the Wodaabe nomads in Niger. This is present-day. It is a continuing tradition around which their culture is based. I love to experience it and hope to again, one day, but modern political machinations are making it difficult so my solace is to paint it.