Miles Toland
2019 Art Reception
milestoland.com
Acrylic on Birch

Collaboration with Nevada City Rancheria Spokesperson and Tribal Council Member Shelly Covert

The ravens in the painting symbolize the Nisenan who were tragically mistreated, displaced, and murdered during the greed and entitlement of the Gold Rush. Similarly, the ravens represent the animal kingdom that is currently being exploited, over hunted, under represented, and displaced by human lifestyle to the point of extinction. These stories are parallel and are still being written by our hands. How do we nurture the ravens who have broken free? How do we release the ones still captive? Moreover, this painting also speaks to the recent trip that Shelly Covert took to the Kunstkamera Museum in Saint Petersburg to visit a sacred Raven’s cloak and other artifacts that were taken by Russian explorers in the mid 1800’s.

“Ravens are an important part of the old Nisenan stories. They struggle and adapt to the modern world as best they can and reflect to me the Tribe's struggle to survive in modern day America. Ravens mate for life and are family oriented. They are strong and smart and beautiful. Their memories are outstanding. I am honored to have had a couple of Ravens as friends in my life and understand why their feathers were so important in Traditional Feather Regalia. My obsession for this amazing being leads me back to my Nisenan roots and one day I will have my own Raven Feather Regalia to accompany me in dance and ceremony.” –Shelly Covert