“Paint from your heart; don’t just go along with the latest fad.
Your art will last longer then.”
It all began with his Navajo medicine man great grandfather from whom David K. John learned respect for Nature and the ways of his people.
David K. John has lived his own words, working from his own inspiration, creating paintings based on Navajo mythology and stories. Communicating a quiet spirituality that speaks universally, his unique expressions are becoming more widely recognized and admired.
Following his graduation, John returned to his home in Keams Canyon, and what he had learned at his Grandfather’s knee came flooding back to his mind. Ever the teacher of Navajo spiritual beliefs, David’s paintings incorporate and reflect the importance of his Grandfather’s teachings and his own artistic and spiritual growth. And although he imparts spiritual truths through Navajo symbolism, John uses these symbols to inspire his own expression. Comments John, “My paintings are my own vision. And because so much is being lost with the passing of the older generations, I believe it is the role of the artist to communicate and teach the next generation. I try to do this through my paintings.”
Enjoyed by a great many people worldwide, John’s award winning artwork is also part of the collection at the Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ; the Navajo Tribal Museum, Window Rock, AZ; the Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, NM; the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, IN; and the Red Cloud Museum, Pine Ridge, SD.
One special accomplishment by David was being chosen as the 1990 United States Census Poster artist whose painting was used as the image for the 1990 Census poster. This poster was awarded the Pulitzer Award for Marketing.
David K. John has lived his own words, working from his own inspiration, creating paintings based on Navajo mythology and stories. Communicating a quiet spirituality that speaks universally, his unique expressions are becoming more widely recognized and admired.