Listen for the Raven

Traver Gallery

This new body of work is a reflection of the past year in the studio, a year of forging new ideas and concepts, and a year of synthesizing much of the cultural and artistic learning I have done. The title, Listen for the Raven, is a direct reference to the important role that Raven plays in my culture as storyteller, but to me it symbolizes something greater than that: it symbolizes how we learn the secrets of our world.

This exhibition is about the importance of being open to the teaching of others, the importance of receiving their gifts and carrying them forward with responsibility. I've found tremendous purpose in my work through my connection with other Native artists. Many of the works included in this seminal exhibition are the outcome of direct and important connections to individuals and communities. These relationships remind me that once you become a keeper of cultural knowledge it becomes your responsibility.

There are many stories of Raven and how he brought order to the world: how he gave us light when the world was in darkness. I see this as a metaphor for the gifts teachers of all kinds bestow upon us.