Maynard Johnny Jr.
We invite you to spend time with our featured artist at this year’s Arts On The Avenue festival on Sunday August 23, 2026 from 10 AM - 4 PM. Engage in conversation, hear the stories behind the work, and experience both two-dimensional and wearable pieces rooted in culture, creativity, and lived experience — and perhaps find a piece that speaks to you.​
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His colonial name is Maynard Johnny Jr. His traditional name is Thii Hayqwtun (translates Big Fire).
Maynard was born in Campbell River BC. He is Coast Salish on his father’s side and Kwakwaka'wakw on his mother’s side. A self-taught artist, Maynard has been honing his skills since his teens. He draws inspiration from many Northwest Coast artists and particularly admires the late Art Thompson, Richard Hunt, Robert Davidson, and Mark Henderson.
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Maynard created the Salish Heron design on a BC Ferries vessel and has received the Fulmer Award in First Nations Art from BC Achievement. Maynard has created the first Coast Salish mural “Rebirth” in Chemainus the unceaded traditional territory of Pune'luxutth Hul’q’umi’num people. His work has been on Greys Anatomy since the beginning of the tv series.
Maynard has created a large steel gateway installation “Shq’apthut - Gathering Place” for Waterwheel Park in Chemainus. ​ Standing approximately 3.5 m high and 5.9 m wide, the galvanized‑steel and glass‑acrylic welcome arch marks the entry to Waterwheel Park and glows from within after dark. The arch honours thousands of years of Indigenous stewardship of the land and the continuing need for meaningful reconciliation.
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Using his art designs, Maynard has started a high quality fashion line, Thii Hayqwtun House of Design where contemporary fashion meets ancestral brilliance. Each piece merges Maynard's bold, flowing forms with modern silhouettes, creating wearable art that honours stories carried since time immemorial. A portion of each collection supports Indigenous youth in sport and art, nurturing the next generation of leaders, dreamers and creators.
His work is part of private and public collections, including those of the Legacy Galleries at the University of Victoria, the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, and the National Gallery of Canada. Maynard’s work has been exhibited in galleries and museums of the Pacific Northwest Coast in Canada and the United States, and at the Museum of Arts and Design and The National 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York.
This is an opportunity to listen, learn, and connect through art.