Research Papers and Painting Artistic Responses

I am writing my research paper right now, or rather I am thinking about writing my research paper. I am also thinking about my artistic response. Right now it is a half done painting of the famous picture of where the soldiers are raising the flag on Iwo Jima. I read that one of the soldiers was Native American, so I am going to put a feathered headdress on him to represent that he is both a soldier for his country and a warrior for his people. There will be some other things beside the headdress and I am sure I can come up something a little more deep and meaningful (symbolic wise). I decided to tie my artistic response into my research paper (which is on Native Americans in the military) because I could not think of anything else at the time. So as a was reading trying to find a good quote or two for my outline, I read a caption on a picture that talked about Ira Hayes (guy helping to raise flag) and his Native American heritage. The idea literally hit me and I was 'ohhhhh, YES!!!! an idea!' Then of course I could not get the idea out of my mind and I spent a few days throwing the idea around in my head before I actually got anything done. I just finished painting today and other then having a paint bottle explode on me (no idea how it happened) it all turned out good. And my little Army guys I painted actually look like tiny people, which for me is exciting!