University of Oregon (Reception)

    

I'm honored

 to be part of this powerful exhibition, ending in September 23rd at the University of Oregon/ UO Knight Library Browsing Room (Eugene, Oregon).

Titled: “Unceded Kinship: Land, Place and People”. This exhibition explores ‘how we can restore our relationships to one another and to the natural world while holding kinship, solidarity, and community as sacred’. 

“Unceded Kinship is guided and organized by UO alum @melaninmvskoke enrolled citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and of Shawnee, Yuchi, Quapaw, and Cherokee descent. 

Amber is a nationally-recognized community organizer, artist, and stylist.

The project intersects with UO Common Reading's selection—Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer.”

For more information about this exhibition go to University of Oregon

RECEPTION:

When: Aug 30th from 3-5pm

Where: UO Knight Library Browsing Room. 

Hope to see you there.

Commemorative Poster for the Skagit Eagle Interpretive Center

It’s an honor to be asked to produce Art for the “Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center” @ Howard Miller Steelhead Park in Rockport, Washington.

The center offers opportunities to better understand the Skagit River ecosystem with an emphasis on the winter migration of bald eagles, salmon, and the vital role each play in our environment.

In all my work. If there’s water involved. I start with water before I focus the main subjects.

To be honest. It’s good practice to flesh out technique, and color application. I consider this my “Artistic Mise En Place”.

After a few hours working the back, and foreground environments, then I’m ready to go in heavy-subject-mode.

Also, I use “Drawing Gum” for most of my projects.

It’s a “peelable rubber solution used to keep areas colour free when using ink, watercolour or gouache. It can be applied using a brush or a pen on the surfaces of the drawing that require to be masked.”

Each Eagle is an original, that will ultimately be transferred digitally to my poster for this great organization.

This poster will be sold to the public as an awareness campaign From September 1st 2022- September 1st 2023.

I drew inspiration from two fabulous nature photographers. Stephen Ennis and Sam Wilder.

Titled: “Arrival Of The Messenger, Past, Present, and Future”

Project Mediums: Prismacolor Premier Color Pencils, koh-I-noor Rapidograph Pens, Sakura Koi Watercolor, Iwata Airbrush, Copic Sketch Markers, on FABRIANO Paper.

©Ramon Shiloh/SRBEIC 2022/2023

To know more about this organization, go to: Skagit Eagle Interpretive Center

Ive Been Invited To Illustrate Maps For Raven Makes Gallery

By Ramon Shiloh

I have been invited to contribute three colored pencil illustrated stories on archival atlas maps for Chris Morin of Raven Makes Gallery located in Sister’s Oregon (three hours southeast of Portland). 

 

The gallery represents over thirty Indigenous Artists with impressive growth trajectories over the next year.  Chris is embarking on numerous scaled projects representing Native creators from around the world.  This initiative is titled “The Homelands Collection” which focuses on illustrated stories on antique atlas, regional, and territorial maps and was a revelation that came by accident.  According to his website:

 

“On occasion during the past 30 years, some artists have used a few antique maps rather than ledger paper, with these works occurring in the spirit of contemporary ledger art. However, a show or exhibition featuring antique maps as the singular medium has not occurred.

Last year’s pandemic caused many of us to come to a halt. As the crisis unfolded, there wasn’t much we could do except restrict our activities. Hunkered down, opportunities for more thorough reflection occurred. For the owners of Raven Makes Gallery, a number of those moments concerned contemplating the suddenly unforeseeable future of Native American art.

In early May 2020, while surfing the Internet as our gallery stood closed by order of the Governor, we happened upon a fascinating 1860’s map of the Upper Great Plains that identified several tribes. The thought occurred, “Wouldn’t it be great if a ledger artist could make a work on this?” With more time to reflect, the notion wasn’t pushed aside as it might normally have been.”

 

As a result, Chris has developed a profound collection of unique world maps, giving living Indigenous Artists a placeholder and platform to be seen and heard.  Chris Morin and his wife, LaRita Chapman have lived in Chinle, Arizona and Alaska since 2016 and have developed lasting relationships with many Indigenous Artists, their families, and communities of people.  

Their appreciation of First Nations Peoples’ awareness and deep cultural connections are represented with respect through Raven Makes Gallery.  The space is intended to provide opportunities, support for Artists, as well as cultural, spiritual, and natural expressions.  

To know more about Raven Makes Gallery and to see their extensive collection. Go to their Website

ABOUT RAMON SHILOH

 

Ramon Shiloh is an American award-winning author, illustrator, activist, and multicultural Chef of Black, Filipino, Creek, and Cherokee descent.

Born in Palo Alto California in the middle of the Occupation of Alcatraz 1970 he grew accompanying his mother, June ‘Sukuybtet’ Legrand, as she built friendships with countless luminaries and communities of people.  As a radio broadcaster, storyteller, educator, and social activist, his mother surrounded him with Native perspectives and spiritual belief systems.  After his mother’s passing in 1992, Shiloh picked up her mantle and dedicated himself to engagement in Native communities where he remains devoted to this day; “this is simply our way of life”.

 

Shiloh has spent his lifetime forging alliances throughout urban and rural environments.  He has volunteered at educationally focused non-profit organizations for over three decades as a writer, artist, and instructor to create insights, extend knowledge, and expand distributable tools related to the mediums of Art, Food Sovereignty, Writing, and the Spoken Word.  Shiloh’s capacity to relate to diverse audiences, while maintaining and enhancing his cultural integrity, demonstrates his words in action and completes the lessons for all those in which he invests.

 

In regard to his dedication to Native and non-Native youths Shiloh states, “As a mentor, I want to help them identify the process, structure, and technique of Storytelling in their everyday lives. Children have had a difficult run expressing truthfully their fears, accomplishments, or dreams in a socially-awkward-networked world. I want to guide them in trusting their instincts and holding ownership of their actions.”   Utilizing this philosophy, he contributes perspectives that help develop experience, knowledge, and their over-arching relationship-to-self to grow in authentic, individual, and unique expressions.

A foundational achievement was born when Shiloh partnered as an illustrator with author and storyteller Gerald Hausman to produce the award-winning Wisdom Tales book: The Otter, the Spotted Frog & the Great Flood; a mythical story based in America before humans existed on earth, with animal characters and a great flood that ends with the creation of First Man and First Woman in a very surprising way. The book has won three Midwest Book Awards (Gold Medal in the category “Illustration: Graphic,” and Silver Medals in the categories “Children’s Picture Books” and “Total Book Design”) and won the 2013 ForeWord Review “Book of the Year” Bronze Medal Award in the category “Picture Books, Early Reader.”

Ramon’s collaborative nature has broadened his accomplishments and continues to positively influence others.  Notable works have included: acclaimed Storytelling at planetariums, fairs, museums, comedy venues; documentarian in music journalism; graphic novel illustrations; creator and contributor to various expressions such as “Guidance Through an Illustrative Alphabet”, “The Corn Whisperer”, multicultural magazine titled “ColorsNW”, “THE ALPHABET MONOLOGUES, multimedia experience “Star Story Sessions”, “The Art of Comedy Collection” at the Hollywood Improv, “Pathways to Freedom 2000: A Trail of Tears” for Rosa Parks and her associated influences, “Young Native Voices Theater Education Project” at Red Eagle Soaring Youth Theater; hosting a Chef’s Table at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of The American Indian in Washington DC; and more. 

The collective influence of these experiences with incredible mentors, communities, perspectives, initiatives, and stories has shaped Shiloh’s worldview.  They continually teach him how to better bridge the urban-native gap from social commentary to realized action.  He is defined by his contributions of productive thought, perspectives, Storytelling, art for our souls, food for our bodies, grace of the written word, boundless love, and so much more.  Shiloh’s goal is to honor his life’s path, as well as the legacy of June’s work, and continue building better partnerships of understanding the Native way. 

 

Look out for his upcoming telling of Constellation Stories through his creation “Star Stories for Little Dreamers.”

 “I reflect knowledge and observations of Native life

With respect and dignity to All”

 

Ramon Shiloh

 

I'm Guest Speaker For An Important Documentary

I'm thrilled to be invited to participate as "Guest Speaker" for this important online event happening today, Friday August 5th 2022.  

 

Meaningful Movies Project is a Non-Profit organization who helps communities organize and educate through forums.  They empower public discussions with every documentary film highlighted in order to build awareness and critically analyze local, domestic, and international social justice issues. 

 

In this conversation, Meaningful Movies Project teamed with high school students to experience the online screening of "INHABITANTS: An Indigenous Perspective".  The film "follows five Native American communities as they transform the fight against climate change with traditional land management practices. Such methods had allowed these populations to successfully live in the American climate before colonization disrupted their way of life. Now, many indigenous communities in the United States are reviving their ancient relationships with the land. The stories showcase movements across the country, such as sustaining traditions of Hopi dryland farming in Arizona, restoring buffalo in Montana’s Blackfeet reservation, maintaining forestry on the Menominee reservation in Wisconsin, reviving native food forest in Hawaii, and using the Karuk tribe of California’s prescribed fire techniques. The urgency of the climate crisis has led to many turning to the past and relying on practices by North America’s original inhabitants."

 

I was not part of this documentary.  Due to my extensive involvement in the space of food sovereignty, sustainable agriculture, and Native activism I was asked to contribute and speak to the environmental and cultural concerns presented in this film. Very proud to partner with Meaningful Movies Project in the fight for education and advocacy in order to keep breathing life into our ancestral knowledge and applying the salve of Native perspective to the modern world.  

WHEN: FRIDAY AUGUST 5TH 2022 

6:30 PM, Friday, August 5, 2022 (PST)

Tickets for Online Event

ONLINE SCREENING