ARTIST FEATURE

MAYNARD JOHNNY JR.

Coast Salish Artist

Maynard Johnny Jr. practices both hereditary styles of

art, Kwakwaka’wakw and Coast Salish, but his style and spin definitely leans more heavily into his paternal Salish side. Johnny Jr. reflects on the influence of the group of Artists known as the Coast Salish renaissance, saying “they were, in part, who opened the door—Susan Point is the most recognized in Coast Salish Artist in the commercial market and truly paved the way for Artists like me,” he shares.

Ovids and u-shapes were his focus with his first two prints; he then studied spindle, whorls, goat horn rattles, bracelets and other Salish-based artifacts, taking some of those elements and integrating them into the style of his art. He is mainly selftaught, although he did have some mentors at arm’s length such as the late Art Thompson and Robert Davidson.

Johnny Jr. notes he was and is fortunate to have Davidson to connect with. “We are able to discuss work over lunch and have an appreciation for art together. When we are breaking bread, I am gifted and receive seeds of wisdom through life and art through our socialization,” he says. When he visits Davidson’s studio, it absolutely blows his mind—every time. While Johnny Jr. has been the key to his own success, being able to reach into the well of knowledge from Robert Davidson has been the helping hand to levelling up his work. “I feel at a bit of a deficit not having an Artist in my family to learn culture and art from… even traditional protocols. Robert fills my cup in this capacity,” Johnny Jr. fondly shares.

While teaching in elementary school, Johnny Jr. watched a Grade 4 student create something completely outside the box, and was completely taken back by this young student’s approach. His eyes were opened and he realized that he didn’t need to practice the exact art form as First Nations traditional art. It was a slow process, but he opened up to new concepts with colours and bending the shapes to create his contemporary works. “A lot of people credit Bill Reid with how to make a living as an Artist; I actually credit Charles Edenshaw but Reid took it to the next level. Reid once said, ‘there is no money in art’. Robert Davidson took it to the next level with prints and editions,” says Johnny Jr. “So how can I move the art in a new direction so that it is new and fresh for people to enjoy?”

It’s been a long road to date. He didn’t have any belief in himself until about 5 years ago. Now, Johnny Jr. focuses and works hard on where he wants to be and what his value is as an Artist. “My house is in my name but I don’t own it. On reserve, I hold no value. Oppression is still strong for being an Indian with the Indian Act in place. I want to be able to leave something behind for my daughter, grand children, and and great grand children. An Art Legacy is being built for my family, for the future, so they can have a good life and not suffer financially,” prays Johnny Jr. as he gets deeper in depth about his family.

“I am the first generation to not go to Residential School; I accredit my mother for my success. Without her—Donna Moon, Wewaikai, Cape Mudge—I wouldn’t be who I am today,” he adds as he brings forward his lines and their influences on his life. "My dad was a fluent traditional speaker; I grew up in Seattle till I was 12. I started to learn protocols around 16 years old. I knew my dad had gone to day school but never knew, until he passed away, that he was in residential school as well. He simply didn’t know how to deal with his demons from those experiences," Johnny Jr. remembers. "My home was broken and it was dark, but everyone loved my father. I did inherit the confidence that he carried, I can walk into any room, like my father, and strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere anytime,” he adds.

“My art, my confidence and my willingness to divulge myself into popular culture allows me to speak the truth about recent events and where we are as a people within Canada. It allows me to talk through my art, the true history of Indigenous Canadian People. The Indian Act alone is oppressive, then add racism and genocide on top of these old laws. I don’t think the majority of pop culture has come to a full understanding that these three pieces are still at play in the day to day lives here in Canada," Johnny Jr. says.

"It’s important that we look after the land and we need to pay attention to how we are consuming, and make the adjustments for more sustainable ways. Review and implement based on the understanding that we don’t need to push a billion dollars in profit; it’s time to scale that down to the number that creates sustainability for everyone here in Canada. My art gives me a voice to share my opinion and explain the atrocities of residential school impacts. The 215 that were uncovered are important and are pinnacle to the further understanding of the genocide that took place and is still taking place today. We need to figure out as Indigenous People how to stop this – we have been trying to stop this for decades,” he says.

“My mom has been very involved professionally throughout her career connecting indigenous people with their families

through many different social services. No one has recognized her for this; I try hard to create an understanding of what she has done for others. She always put our people first. From elders to children, she would always help – no matter what day it was, what time it was – no matter what," Johnny Jr. says.

"I hold every single politician accountable for not bringing real solutions forward. The time is now! The difference between popular culture and First Nation culture is that almost everyone in our First Nations families have been abused – physically, mentally, spiritually… not just one or two… everyone,” adds Johnny Jr. emotionally as he begins to speak to the very first uncovering, which was the 215 First Nation youth bodies at the Kamloops Indian Residential School.

“My work is about educating the general Canadian public. The Orange shirt was a big project that has affected many and created a greater understanding for the start of 215 and residential school and hospital impacts. Recently, I did a talk for Microsoft to connect a bridge of understanding, explaining why this is such a social issue. I feel very blessed to have this ability and reach into community and country to reach a better understanding for tomorrow’s generations,” he says. after the 215 had been uncovered. He was extremely heartbroken and emotional over this discovery. Approximately three days later, he chose to speak out about the horror of this situation and posted a video on social media. He doesn’t really remember what he was saying but he brings forward that we as Canadians need to Be the Change. That video has well over 14,000 views and continues to grow as the public are paying attention.

He got a phone call from a high up in Indigenous Governance and they wanted to use the phrase Be the Change at the Kamloops Funeral Services. Johnny Jr.’s design is a little girl and boy sharing the same mouth with an upside down maple leaf and cross which translates to the silence that was put upon Canadian Residential Indian School survivors, forcing the stop of traditional language and culture. When a flag is upside down is a country in distress, when a cross is upside down it is evil; these signify the reasons as to why Johnny Jr. used these symbols for his memorial shirt design. All proceeds are going to the Hope and Health organization benefitting Coast Salish nations in the mainland and Vancouver Island.

Indigenous youth need to understand the history so it can’t happen again - ever. Shirts are now available from Hope and Health and Johnny Jr. encourages you to reach out to purchase your orange shirt directly: www.hopeandhealth.org.

“It’s time for healing—we have the choice to change!” he adds. “The power of choice was taken away from indigenous people pretty much from contact; this is the dark history of Canada.”

At 48 years old now, Johnny Jr. speculates decades of court battles to see an outcome from these Residential School deaths; he doesn’t think he will see any significant change during his lifetime. “Hul Qumi Num Treaty Group has been working for 25 years fighting for self governance through the courts for certain nations on Vancouver Island. Change moves like molasses… very slow, but it’s happening. I know it’s my privilege to share my art using respect and with honour and rise above the darkness,” Johnny Jr. says.

He is currently working on art pieces for private collectors and galleries, and has just completed a large installation project on Thetis Island. He can now explore some special projects that he has been waiting to work on. He hopes to host a solo show of his work in the next few years. There may be other installation projects on the horizon; he is projecting that the Chemainus Water Wheel Park project will come into play soon. Chemainus is chasing funding for an archway featuring Johnny Jr.’s artwork. The unveiling of Thetis project is coming up quickly on September 18th. Johnny Jr. shares that a German lawyer from Vancouver, who, as an executor of a trust fund, was responsible for the funding for the Thetis Island Community Centre, and Johnny’s installation at the centre. He is focused on creating projects that he always wanted to try now that his name and work is established, helping rise the project up to the next level.

Johnny Jr. speaks to finding an apprentice: “It’s difficult with youth heading to university or going to work; it does make it hard to find someone who will commit to the entire process of learning and the will to work under you,” he says. Johnny Jr. is ready to take an apprentice on full time and hopes that he is able to find the right apprentice who is ready to commit. “Maybe down the line one of my grandkids will be able to follow in my footsteps and apprentice with me,” he adds with love.

You can connect with Maynard Johnny Jr. on his Facebook Artist Page and Instagram. Regularly carrying his work are the Inuit Gallery in Vancouver and Steinbrueck Gallery in Seattle, as well as Douglas Reynolds Gallery in Vancouver. Keep an eye out for his next big installation piece on Vancouver Island!