Charlene Johnny, Coast Salish Art

07/07/2026

Woooooow, another full circle moment. I am so happy to see that Eclipse Awards - maker of fine custom trophies is now making the pins I designed in collaboration with BCAA. I worked at Eclipse Awards a number of years ago, so this feels extra special to me.

This pin is extraordinary, not only does it support First Nations Emergency Services, and Canadian Mental Health Association, it supports local businesses, and recognizes the hard work of those who keep our province safe.

If you haven’t picked one up yet, you can go grab one at any BCAA location, London drugs, cal tire and Roger’s locations while supplies last. Wear it with pride ✨🤗

03/16/2026

This past weekend I travelled up to Campbell River with my partner to attend a pole raising and potlatch hosted by Chief Udzistalis. Many of you may or may not know that I am a part of the Hunt/Henderson family. I was adopted by my aunt Marilyn, uncle Harvey and late hereditary Chief Namugwis George sr and Mary Hunt nee Henderson. All of my aunties, uncles, sisters and brothers embrace us with so much love when we travel up. I carry a name gifted by late granny Mary. I’m so blessed to be connected up and down the island, and this weekend filled me up with so much good feelings. I feel so honoured witness this work and then to be invited to get geared up and dance on the floor with my family. I am beaming and I could not be any prouder to be Hwulmuhw/Bakwam. We were welcomed in with love. We helped where we could in the kitchen. We feasted on seafood, elk and fruit. We had the time to stop in and visit Mike’s Uncle, his wife and mother in law, they ensured we were welcomed with open arms and sent us on the way with food and gifts. This weekend was more than I could have ever expected. Our bellies full of food, car full of potlatch gifts and our hearts are full of love. G̱ilakas’la to our family. We are homeward bound back to Vancouver to our kitties and back to work.

02/12/2026

Sometimes one opportunity opens a door you didn’t know you were looking for.

A backpack design led to a museum visit.
A museum visit led me back to an ancestral spindle whorl.
That journey led me back to wool.

The full reflection is now live on my website.
https://charlenejohnny.com/blogs/news

12/18/2025

Reflecting on beginning 2025 painting this mural at BC Children's and Women's Hospital. I am grateful to share my work, and special thanks to the Indigenous Health Team for allowing me to create it.
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Guardians of the Moon
Perched above the two doorways of the Indigenous Patient Navigator offices, an eagle and a raven keep watch. Their steady presence marks a space of care, transition, and quiet resilience. Between them, the moon glows, framed by orange petals and wreath of cedar boughs - symbols of renewal, healing, and the cycles of life.
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The eagle brings strength and vision, while the raven offers wisdom and transformation. Together, they stand as guardians of this space, holding the stories of those who pass beneath them.
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The presence of this art does not just enhance the aesthetics of the space; it fosters a sense of belonging and validates identity. It sends a powerful message: Indigenous voices and ways of knowing are not only welcomed but essential to the care provided. Through these culturally rooted artworks, C&W and the Indigenous Health team are advancing a vision of reconciliation in health care, one where respect, representation, and healing are intertwined and celebrated.

12/11/2025

12/10/2025

24” x 24” Sxwut’ts’uli (hummingbirds)
Available: Unframed
https://charlenejohnny.com/collections/art-print/products/sxwut-ts-uli-humminbirds

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This hummingbird spindle whorl design was created for a lantern I contributed to the Lunar Festival in 2022.

At the centre of the design is a flower surrounded by a family of four hummingbirds in motion. The number four is sacred in many teachings. It reflects the medicine wheel and its lessons, the four seasons, the four elements, and the balance between land, sky, sea, and spirit. The birds circle together as a reminder of family, continuity, and the way we move through life in relation to one another.

I’ve always loved hummingbirds. These tiny beings have shown up for me again and again as messengers. The first mural I ever painted featured hummingbirds, and on the day I submitted my application, one flew down and hovered right in front of me as I walked to class at Native Education College. In that moment, I knew the project was meant for me.

Over time, I’ve learned the sound they make and now often sense their presence before I see them as I move through the city and in nature. I’ve watched hummingbirds in gardens on Salt Spring Island through every season, even in winter, finding nectar in the snow and surviving. They are the epitome of strength, such tiny beings carrying so much power and resilience.

The stars that frame the outer edge honour our ancestors. Many of our stories tell us that our people fell from the sky at the beginning of time, and I like to think of them as still watching over us, surrounding us with guidance and protection, and connecting us to our celestial relatives.

This piece is about the connection between generations, realms, and within ourselves.

12/02/2025

24” x 24” Blue Moon
Available: Unframed on my website

https://charlenejohnny.com/products/blue-moon?_pos=1&_sid=071095b95&_ss=r

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“Once in a blue moon” is a saying that’s always stayed with me.

We use it to describe something rare and special. Something that doesn’t come around often, but when it does, it leaves an impression. This artwork is my interpretation of that feeling: a calm blue moon with a subtle crescent and quiet crater textures, watching over everything with a steady presence.

When I was a kid, I would stare out the window from the back seat of the car, looking up at the moon, amazed that no matter how fast we drove, or where we went, it followed me. Later, when I was separated from family, that same moon became a point of connection. I loved knowing you could be in two different places and still look up at the same moon and feel close to someone you miss.

The soft rays extending outward from the moon carry their own story, gentle light reaching through the darkness, guiding your way when things feel uncertain.

And, as the saying goes, this piece speaks to those moments in life that don’t happen often but matter deeply. “Once in a blue moon” reminds us that meaningful things don’t need to happen every day to be powerful. Sometimes the rare ones are the ones we hold onto the longest.

This piece carries that memory. The idea that distance doesn’t dissolve connection, and that even in the quietest or darkest moments, there’s a light that follows you and reminds you that you’re not alone.