The Raven
Raven, an embodiment of the land.
The Raven
In the high desert and pine-covered mesas of northern New Mexico, ravens are a constant and commanding presence. These intelligent birds are often seen gliding effortlessly on thermal updrafts or perched atop weathered fence posts. They are both watchful scavengers and curious observers. Known for their deep, echoing calls and playful aerial acrobatics, ravens in this region thrive in dry canyonlands and snowy mountain foothills. They form strong mating bonds, often seen traveling in pairs. They are known to cache food and mimic sounds. In Pueblo and Navajo traditions, the raven holds symbolic significance as a trickster, messenger, or guardian spirit, adding a layer of mythic meaning to their dark silhouettes against the New Mexico sky.
We lived for a time on the high desert west of Taos, in a place called Tres Piedras (Three Rocks). Every morning, we awoke to the familiar Caw, Caw, Caw of the oversize black bird that we soon recognized as Raven. Chris’s watercolor shows the ubiquitous bird as an actual embodiment of its environment: sky, clouds, mountains, hills, shrubs, and sage.