Cowboys and Indians-The Premier Magazine of the West

September 2000 Issue Featuring Kenneth Johnson

Molding the Spirit of the Past into the Beauty of the Present

Styling by ~V~ Virgil Ortiz

Fashions by Pilar Agoyo and Virgil Ortiz

Article by Richard Mahler

Photography by Studio 7

Special Thanks to Allan Houser Inc. (Philip and Anna) for use of the beautiful sculptures and facilities.

 

Tall, handsome, and broadshouldered and the rippling forearms of someone who routinely handles heavy objects, my first impression of Kenneth Johnson is of a man who projects unusual strength.

It was this deep-seeded desire to share his creative vision that diverted Johnson from his mechanical engineering studies at the University of New Mexico more than a decade ago. Johnson Bobb, an Albuquerque metalsmith and member of the Choctaw tribe, taught him the basics of his craft. He remains a cherished mentor to this day. "I still go to him and we bounce ideas off each other." says the 33 year old artist whose reputation rests on his exquisitely crafted bracelets, necklaces, buckles, pendants, hair ties, one of a kind boxes, and traditional Indian neck ornaments called gorgets. Johnson specializes in stamp work (the use of sharpened, hardened, steel rods to cut designs into metal), often employing silver, gold, platinum, and copper coins as an integral part of jewelry and objets d'art. He also handmakes necklace chain from various precious metals and recently began creating metal sculptures. "Historically, Natives worked with found materials," Johnson says, and offers the example of how coins have long been used by members of various tribes to make buttons, earrings, and other adornments. The tradition continues in Johnson's hands as old 22-karat gold coins are transformed into ornamental hair ties , and 19th-century silver dollars become belt buckles.

But Johnson's work is constantly evolving, and on this day he is wearing a bracelet that incorporates a Seminole patchwork design, including lightning and rickrack patterns, as well as Four Directions pendant that contains a garnet and four diamonds mined by Apache miners in Arizona. Like the rest of his work, their intricate, precise patterning and is of high-quality materials distinguish these pieces. "I love color, texture, and symmetry", says Johnson. "Stamp work is like drawing on metal with a paintbrush. You can do a lot with it." Increasingly, the artist draws from the heritage of his Muscogee/Creek and Seminole ancestors, who lived in the southeastern United States before their forced relocation to Oklahoma more than a century ago. "I was raised by my mother," Johnson explains, "and grew up attending Indian boarding schools in Oklahoma. I learned a lot about arts and crafts there, although I never realized they would become such a big part of my life. I came to know that having a corporate job would feel like being a cog in a machine to me. I want to be a part of making something, from beginning to end."

Over the last decade, Johnson has worked to fine-tune and promote his creations, exhibiting at numerous shows each year and winning a passel of first place ribbons. His perseverance and talent earned him the prestigious Artist's Fellowship from the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA), sponsor of Santa Fe's annual Indian Market, and more recently, an Artist-in residence Fellowship from the Smithsonian Institution.

Despite his youth, Johnson is eager to give back to those who helped him get started. Including SWAIA, he serves on the organization's board of directors and chairs its Council of Artists, which oversees artist participation in the operation of Indian Market. "The council has been trying to establish authenticity standards, with full disclosure of materials and processes, "he explains, referring to a long running controversy about how to balance old and new approaches to Indian art. "What was once labeled contemporary, like the use of European glass beads, is now considered traditional. We want to protect the integrity of traditional styles but not stunt contemporary." In his approach to business as well as art, Johnson delights in mixing time-honored traditions with high-tech innovations. Agreeing that there is no substitute for face to face communication, he was one of the first Native artists to sell his work directly through an internet website: www.kennethjohnson.com.

"I never want to accept the status quo in Indian art ," Johnson concludes, with a grin that betrays a gentle playfulness. The result is a fascinating repertoire of work that reflects both the strength of Kenneth Johnson's convictions and the beauty of his artistic vision.