POSTPONED: Art in Dialogue: Roots & Reverence – Reclaiming Ancestral Art Forms with Respect with Rain Black

Join artist Rain Black for a presentation and guided discussion exploring the process of reconnecting with ancestral Indigenous art forms. Rain will share insights into his own artistic practice, and participants will be guided through a discussion of how to engage with objects from other cultures beyond our own, and consider the difference between cultural appreciation (rooted in reciprocity) versus appropriation or colonization. Participants will also delve into their own personal ancestry and develop methods of reconnection that are grounded in respect and reciprocity.  Please bring a pen, a notebook, and an open mind!

Space is limited to 25 participants. Please register in advance.

About the Artist:

Rain Black, M.P.H., CPH (He/They) is an unenrolled Cherokee and Choctaw descendant two spirit artist who specializes in watercolor, beadwork, and nature-based artwork. He earned his bachelor’s degrees in Biology, Public Health and Art from Cedar Crest College. He holds a Master of Public Health degree in epidemiology from the University of South Florida and is certified in Public Health. They are a community educator with 8 years of experience focusing on topics around domestic and intimate partner abuse, queer and transgender justice, foraged art making, life skills, indigenous approaches to environmental restoration, and public health. They are a founding organizer of Queer & Trans Lehigh Valley and serve on the board of Basement Poetry and Widoktadwen Center for Native Knowledge.