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

Time Capsule In Cassette Tapes

Two hundred pounds of tapes. Thousands of interviews, conversations, Pow Wow and political highlights my mother documented between 1982-1992*

At a time when Native voices didn’t have a platform, my mother (Chairperson of the South Bay Quincentennial Indigenous Council and Radio Producer at KKUP 91.5 FM in Cupertino California), brought native voices to the radio waves and made sure they were heard. 

She caught the attention of every native voice you can think of.

After my mother’s death in 1992, i always knew they would see the light of day. 

Today, through digital streaming and social media platforms, my responsibility is to find a home for these tapes. 

Interviews include, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Wilma Mankiller, Leonard Crow Dog,  John Trudell, Floyd Westerman, Charlie Hill, Dennis Banks, and so many indigenous luminaries to (proudly) have in my life. 

I’m proud to present these voices in a good way when I convert them from analog, to digital. 

This is an emotional time to reflect, and share these moments with everyone. Stay tuned.

New Project with NESIKA WILAMUT

It’s an honor to announce, I teamed with a Portland Oregon organization called Nesika Wilamut.  

The goal is to weave visual narratives that impacts health concerns, and restorative efforts to our waterways within, and throughout the Willamette River. The title of this initiative is called: "Within Our Reach”

WHO WE ARE

Nesika Wilamut Indigenous Advisory Council:

Nesika Wilamut, which means “Our Willamette'' in the Chinuk Wawa trade language, seeks to bring together restoration professionals, tribes, community members, scientists, public agencies, landowners, funders, and more to collaborate on Willamette River restoration and community connection to the River. 

The board of Nesika Wilamut envisions a network that centers the voices of Indigenous people, and as such has secured funding through Seeding Justice's Since Time Immemorial grant to create an Indigenous advisory council that will provide leadership and guidance to the network that Nesika Wilamut endeavors to bring together.

“We are an evolving, community-driven network that weaves together people and communities who care about human and ecological well-being in the Willamette River Basin. Join us!”

For more information about Nesika Wilamut go to Nesika Wilamut

Ramon Shiloh’s “Within Our Reach” Artwork Milestones (Deadline: July 2022)

©Ramon Shiloh/Nesika Wilamut 2022

Medium: Watercolor Underpainting Colors & Digital Finish

“Unceded Kinship: Land, Place and People”. An Exhibition At The University Of Oregon June 1st-Sept. 9th

My (3) Art Prints and more will be on display at the University Of Oregon Knight Library, Circulation Lobby June 1st-September 9th 2022

🌿Thank you @melaninmvskoke for inviting me to this important engagement🌿

Click site link>>> For a more in depth conversation about this exhibition

OVERVIEW

“Unceded Kinship: Land, Place and People seeks to honor the past, present, and future of Native and Afro descendent peoples by restoring and reviving our relationship to one another and to the natural world. Through holding and regarding kinship, solidarity, and community as sacred. By refusing the narratives of erasure, dehumanization, and subjugation. Finally, by envisioning a future rooted in Black Liberation and Indigenous Sovereignty! 

In partnership with UO Common Reading, Amber Starks (aka Melanin Mvskoke), University and Community stakeholders, and the University of Oregon Libraries, the Unceded Kinship art exhibition showcases Afro descendent and Native artists with connections to Oregon and their respective communities.  Unceded Kinship is a celebration of these artists contributions to the movements of Black Liberation and Indigenous Sovereignty and explores the ongoing conversations within and across Afro descendent and Native communities around decentering white supremacy and settler colonialism.  The exhibition personifies ways in which Native and Afro descendant peoples have built community and invested in kinship. 

The exhibition asserts that both movements are compatible technologies of resistance and futurity, and is a reminder that Native and Afro descendent peoples have always been the authors and architects of their liberation.  Ultimately, Unceded Kinship: Land, Place and People affirms the future for both peoples outside of oppression and subjugation, a future envisioned and built for them, by them!”

 

Tea Brings Time To A Crawl

 

I rarely illustrate morbid work. 

I will not explain this drawing. 

The way I see it. It’s self explanatory. 

The problem in this country: 

Too many people are killing. 

Too many people are talking. 

Too many people are manipulating. 

Too many people are hurting. 

And nobody’s listening. 

This tragedy will be in history books. 

This will NEVER be forgotten. 

Government officials are trying to cancel truth in history. 

Not Today. 

Not Ever. 

Titled: “Tea Brings Time To A Crawl”

Medium: Premier Prismacolor Pencils, Copic Markers, LYRA Graphite, Copic Multiliner(sp), on I264 FABRIANO Toned Paper, post production with Adobe Photoshop/Typeset, Font Placement and cup shadow

©Ramon Shiloh/2022