Johnson Yazzie

Born and raised on the Navajo Nation in Pinon, Arizona, Johnson Yazzie has had a lifelong career in the fine arts. Johnson spent 30 years creating two-dimensional art in the form of paintings, and in 2015 began sculpting bronze. He worked as a commercial artist in Phoenix in the mid-1980s and did illustrations for children’s books.

Johnson says his elders taught him respect for animals, especially sheep, cattle, and horses, for they create a sense of home and give humans joy. Fluent in Navajo and English, Johnson teaches that the word hózhó means balance, harmony, and beauty. Hózhó is the word by which he lives. 

Johnson Yazzie is represented by AZ Wildlife Gallery, Heber, Arizona; and Gemsong Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico.