Christopher G. Johnson

“Dismount”

Half a Century in the making

Geoffrey Mix Johnson was the epitome of cowboy.  Raised on a ranch in the unforgiving Missouri Breaks of Montana, south of the Bear Paw Mountains, where Charlie Russell also gained artistry inspiration.  Geoffrey understood his lifestyle was a blessing well earned through sweat and tears, withstanding too many years of drought, bitter cold, scorching sun, low cattle prices, and the high stakes of betting his livelihood that next year would be better.  He would often look in the face of adversity and say, “We are just renting a lifestyle.”

Geoffery was involved with every facet of the cowboy lifestyle, drawing inspiration from his rodeo days riding saddle broncs as well as his everyday life.  He rendered his ideals into treasured works of Western Art, following in the footsteps of his Grandmother Elena Mix, an avid painter from Nogales, Arizona who studied with Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.  Geoffrey created timeless tributes to the western culture.  Whether it be the hallowed image of a Native American woman in her boat, a cowboy passing a cup of coffee at the chuckwagon, or the inevitable “Dismount” from a bronc, Geoffrey’s art was conjured with the attention to detail only a true cowboy could possess.

Geoffery passed away October 31, 2009 at the age of 59, leaving behind a loving family, numerous cowboy friends, and his biggest legacy, his two children.  There was also this piece of work left unfinished. “Dismount” was originally created in sculpey, a hard wax, in 1976.  It was passed on to a friend, as Geoffery had lost his passion for the piece.  Twelve years later that friend gave it to Geoffery’s wife Micki Johnson, who held it as a treasured token in a box for 35 years.  This piece would take a 47-year journey before the same strength, determination, and love for cowboying would lead another to its completion.

Christopher Johnson, Geoffery’s son, spent summers on the ranch with his father and older sister Cassie, riding the train from Wisconsin to Montana.   He learned from a young age to ride for the brand, and often that meant from dawn until dusk.  Christopher was taught the sweet exhaustion of an honest day’s work, a cowboy is only as good as his word, and the grit it takes to look in the face of hardship and do it anyway.  Christopher took the discipline and determination he learned on the family ranch into riding bulls  in high school rodeo, then riding saddle broncs in college rodeo and the PRCA.

In the summer of 2016 Christopher was dealt a life shattering obstacle while riding in Wisconsin.  A diagnosis of Stage 4 testicular cancer at 23 years old, and the cancer had already spread to his stomach, lungs and liver. With a resolute spirit he began the fight for his life. After six grueling months of chemotherapy at the University of Iowa Hospital, he received the heartbreaking news that the chemo was not working.   Undeterred in his battle, Christopher transferred care to the U of A Cancer Center in Tucson, Arizona where he and his family received the answers to their prayers.  After another six months of chemotherapy Christopher was able to ring the bell at the cancer center, announcing victory to the world, he was cancer free.

Christopher then began to explore his passion for art, immersing himself in art education while drawing inspiration from his father’s work.  He soon realized his natural talent for sculpture and began creating numerous pieces with unrelenting inspiration.  In 2022 Christopher was given another invaluable gift, the box his mother had meticulously watched over for 35 years containing the unfinished sculpture his father began a lifetime ago. Christopher had never seen this treasure and did not know that it existed.

As a loving tribute Christopher began working on the sculpture in Prescott, Arizona and completed this unfinished chapter of his father’s story. With hopes to create “Dismount” into a life size monument honoring his father, all proceeds from the limited production of 50 sculptures will be used to fulfill that dream.

It took a lifetime of experiences, packed into Christopher’s yet brief life to culminate in this sculpture.  “Dismount” is a piece of art a half century in the making and encompassing two lifetimes.  What his father’s hands began; Christopher finished with his own, and a family legacy continues.