David Johns facts for kids

David Johns (born 1948) is a talented Navajo painter from Seba Dalkai, Arizona, United States. He is known for his unique artwork that blends traditional Navajo teachings with modern art styles.

Early Life and Education

David Johns was born in Winslow, Arizona, United States. When he was a child, he spent a lot of time with his grandmother. They would herd sheep together across their land. During these years, his grandmother taught him important lessons. She showed him how to respect and care for the land, plants, and animals. These are all things that help the Navajo way of life. She also shared many traditional stories with him. These stories explained the history of the Navajo people and his family's clans.

Johns went on to study fine arts at Northern Arizona University. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1982. Later, in 1996, the university honored him with a special degree called an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters.

David Johns' Art Style

David Johns began selling his paintings, including portraits and landscapes, when he was still in high school. His artwork is a special mix of his formal art training and the traditional lessons he learned as a child. He also uses the Navajo philosophy of life in his art.

His paintings often show great balance and harmony. The colors and textures he uses reflect the natural beauty of the land he comes from. David Johns also creates abstract paintings. These artworks capture subtle things in life, like how sunlight looks at different times of the day. They can also show the feelings that each of the four seasons brings.

The Concord Place Mural

In 1987, David Johns was asked to paint a huge mural. This mural was for the dome of Concord Place in Phoenix, Arizona. It was a massive project! The mural was 36 feet wide and went up 50 feet high. It took him 18 months to complete this amazing artwork.

The mural shows native peoples from all four directions. It includes traditional designs and symbols. You can also see portraits of important leaders like Crazy Horse and Quanah Parker. A famous writer, N. Scott Momaday, praised Johns' work at Concord Place. He said that David Johns helps us to see the world in a new way through his art.

Exhibitions and Recognition

Since 1976, David Johns' artwork has been shown in galleries around the world. He has had many solo exhibitions, where only his art was displayed. Some of these important shows include:

• Navajo Tribal Museum, Window Rock, Arizona (1977)
• C.G. Rein Galleries, Santa Fe, New Mexico (1984)
• The Concord Place, Phoenix, Arizona (1987)
• Millicent Rogers Museum, Taos, New Mexico (1993)
• Palais de Nations, United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland (1999)
• Lanning Gallery, Sedona, Arizona (2006)

David Johns is also the Vice President of the Diné Hataałii Association. This group is made up of Navajo Medicine Men and Women.