Biography

Damian Jim is a Diné artist born in Shiprock, New Mexico in 1973.  Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Jim works predominantly with acrylic and ink on canvas and paper, as well as digital art and prints.  Jim has an AA in Graphic Design from Al Collins Graphic Design School in 1993 and a BA in Computer Information Systems.

In 1992, Jim won Best Artist of the Year at Flagstaff High School in Flagstaff, Arizona, and People’s Choice in Sedona’s Fine Arts Festival of the same year.  In 1998, Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum Exhibition featured Jim’s paintings, and his original contemporary rug designs woven by local Diné rug weavers.  In the same year, Jim won two first place awards for his contemporary acrylic paintings.

Damian has exhibited work in numerous shows in the Southwest including Arizona State University College of Public Programs, Artlink A.E. England Gallery, Indie ArtHouse of Phoenix, Xico Inc – Latin & Native American Arts Organization, Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop in Tucson, AZ, and 1Spot Gallery in downtown Phoenix, and Vestal Village 2014 Coachella Music & Art Festival, to name a few.

During 1995 to 1999, Damian Jim created hundreds of graphic designs, contemporary works of art that incorporated traditional Navajo motifs.  Many of them were woven into baskets and rugs by leading Diné weavers, in collaboration with Twin Rocks Trading Post in Bluff, Utah, thus jumpstarting a revival of Navajo basketry.   Jim has collaborated with artist collectives including Conspire Art Collective and Indie ArtHouse based in Phoenix.  In 2012 he co-founded Ziindi: Indigenous Art Zine, a small, free art magazine featuring established and up and coming contemporary indigenous artists from across the U.S. Later that same year, he co-founded and managed 1Spot Gallery, one of the first all indigenous art galleries in Phoenix, which closed at the end of 2016.

Damian has recently exhibited work in Heard Indian Market where he won three ribbons, Indian Market Edge for SWAIA in Santa Fe, NM, Dundas Gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland, The Venice Biennale in Venice, Italy, The Coe House Gallery, 1Spot Gallery, Project Ethos, Times Square in New York City, and the traveling Phoenix Phabulous Mural exhibit currently at the Burton Bar Central Library in Phoenix, Arizona.