My name is Damian John, Damia, Denechoh. I am 45 years old this year and lead a life I am currently very happy with. I have been pursuing art as a primary part of my life for the last 6 years and have established myself as an artist exploring what it means to be a modern Indigenous person in this country we call Canada and the world.

I have decided to use my art as voice for myself, my ancestors, and my relatives, my family. I am using it to explore the difficulties, the beauty, and all the ranges in between to tickle the brain and bones of the viewer into some version of communion with all that is around us. I wish to create art that evokes feeling and conversation and action. I wish to use art to create a part of the non-verbal dialogue and monologue we have with each other and ourselves. I see creativity as part of the beautiful fabric humans weave as we absorb and pass on story.

This then is part of my purpose here on this earth, at this time. To build on the human story in a way that’s deeply meaningful to me. To create images that speak.