John Edward Smith in the Artist Studio

About the Artist

John Edward Smith (Skokomish), known as a master canoe builder, carver, and weaver, has a unique style of Salish Art. Born in September of 1973 in Toppenish, Washington, John is one of four children. He is the son of Edward J. Smith and Mary Blevins-McCarty.

The name John Edward Smith began in the 1900s, belonging to a man who was one of the five elders of the Shaker Church that formed the corporation. John Slocum and his wife Mary were the founders of the religion. The name passed down from John Edward Smith to Edward John Smith, back and forth from father to son, ever since. John is also a descendant of Henry Allen, one of Skokomish's last canoe carvers of the previous century.

John was raised on both the Skokomish and Makah Indian Reservations, and was mentored by several elders and artists. At the age of nine, John carved his first canoe, a foot-long replica, under the guidance of his teacher, Greg Colfax (Makah).

John began carving full-size canoes in 1999. Three years later, with homemade tools, John and Eddie Greene completed the first ocean going canoe to leave the Hood Canal in over a century. To date, John has made 23 canoes total. John said "I found a part of myself that was always there but never yet exposed before." John traveled that canoe to the Tulalip 2003 Canoe Journey.

In 2004 John was gifted cedar strip style plans and built two 36-foot ocean-going strip canoes. These two canoes traveled to Chemanus, Canada.

In August of 2004 John married Jackie Miller (Skokomish) on these canoes, re-establishing the first canoe wedding to take place in over 200 years in the Tuwaduq area.

In 2005, John was given the honor of being a skipper on a Makah canoe named the Hummingbird. This canoe was used in the 1999 Makah whale hunt.

In 2007 John collaborated with Maori master canoe carver Takirirangi Smith to carve the first Maori waka (canoe) in North America through a residency program at The Evergreen State College Longhouse Education and Cultural Center. John and Takirirangi lashed together the Maori waka, named "Rongo Mai Tawhiti" (Great Peace Traveling from Afar) on the 2009 Canoe Journey to Suquamish.

John also built Canoe Journey founder and Elder Emmet Oliver's family canoe. Emmet Oliver's dream to see over 100 canoes on the water was realized at the 2012 Canoe Journey to Squaxin Island.

In 2012 John and Takirirangi skippered an international canoe family of Maori/Skokomish and Anishinaabe canoe families on the Canoe Journey to Squaxin Island.

John has received awards and grants from the Washington State History Museum, the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center, and the Potlatch Fund. He has donated his work to innumerable organizations. He also works with members of his community to pass on the traditional knowledge of his ancestors.