David John was born in 1963 and raised just east of the Hopi Mesas at Keams Canyon, Arizona. As a young boy, he was close to his grandfather, a Navajo Medicine Man revered by the Navajo people. His grandfather shared stories of the Navajo Creation with David and trained him to help gather materials and perform ceremonies.
David's connection with his grandfather inspired him to depict the Navajo's connection to the world through paintings featuring the Yeibichai, which are embodiments of the Navajo Deities. The Yeibichai are most often seen as dancers, people taking on the persona of the Gods, in healing ceremonies. These nine-day Yeibichai Ceremonies are held in the evening, after the first frost in the Fall.
The actual Yeibichai are also believed to exist in spirit form, and David John's paintings reflect that belief.
We've known David for over twenty years, and it's been fun watching him win award after award at Santa Fe, Gallup, Flagstaff, the Museum of Northern Arizona Navajo Show, and the Eight Northern Pueblo Show. He's the only Native painter that we know of who won a Pulitzer, or at least part of one! He painted the poster image for the 1990 Census, which won the Pulitzer for marketing.
His educational background includes two years at the Institute of American Indian Art, some time at BYU, and a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Southern Utah. He and his wife now live in Kayenta, Arizona.
David called us last week to see if we needed some new work. I was just about to call him back when he walked in the door, bringing us three brilliant new paintings. We just hung them in the center room of the gallery, and they look wonderful.
Throughout his career, David has also developed quite a following, creating and painting ceramic Yeibichai masks adorned with traditional Navajo and rock art designs. We have a nice selection of his masks right now.
Honoring his grandfather is one of David's motivations. He worries that young people are losing the spiritual connection he values so much as an essential part of Navajo life. It is important to him that his work reflects his own visions of that spirituality and inspires others to examine theirs.
