DAVID JOHNS on the Trail of Beauty [SOLD]

DAVID JOHNS on the Trail of Beauty

Text by Lois Essary Jacka

Photography by Jerry Jacka

Foreword by N. Scott Momaday

Publisher: Snailspace Publishing, Scottsdale

Hardback with slip cover, first edition 1991.  70 pages, illustrated in color

Condition: new condition.

From the Jacket:

“David Johns is a Navajo man. His native world of the Southwest and of Arizona is ineffably rich in myth and meaning, history and prehistory, language and literature.... [He] is a seer.... In his remarkable artwork, he enables us to see as well. His gift becomes our gift. Here is the essential spirit of creation.”

Pulitzer-prizewinning author N. Scott Momaday spoke those words at the 1988 dedication of Concord Place. The ceremony itself took place underneath the great dome, the building's centerpiece; an architectural jewel, the dome's ceiling features a mural brilliantly conceived and executed by painter David Johns.

Raised in a very traditional Navajo fashion, Johns transforms his personal history and cultural background into stunning works of art and is well-known for his dramatic, abstract landscapes and evocative portraits.

The power and magic of David Johns' art are fully explored in words and photographs in this book. A thoughtful consideration of the artist's heritage is also provided, deepening the reader's understanding of Johns' work.

“The essential spirit of creation” referred to by N. Scott Momaday in his dedicatory speech is indeed clearly evident in this beautifully produced volume on one of the country's most original young artists.