Christian John Avery

Born in White Plains, New York, in 1973, Christian John Avery has lived a life as vivid and transformative as the art he creates.

An artist since childhood, Christian has always known that creative expression was not a hobby, but a necessity, a language of survival, reflection, and truth. For him, art is not a choice; it is breath. It is the thread that has stitched together every chapter of his remarkable journey.

He spent three formative years at the California College of the Arts in Berkeley, refining his craft and deepening his understanding of visual storytelling. Yet his education extended far beyond the classroom. After serving in the United States Army, Christian endured what he describes as a “dark decade”, a period of profound challenge and reckoning.

His life shifted in a miraculous and unexpected way through the sacred Lakota sweat lodge ceremony. What began as healing became belonging. Through years of dedication, humility, and spiritual commitment, Christian was not only embraced by the Lakota community but eventually entrusted with leading ceremony for others. In time, he was appointed to the honored role of Chief, a responsibility rooted in service, guidance, and cultural stewardship.

Today, Christian stands as a powerful and colorful presence, an artist, a spiritual leader, and a man whose past trials have become the foundation of his wisdom. His work reflects transformation, resilience, and the sacred interplay between struggle and redemption.

His story is not merely one of survival, but of rebirth, a life shaped by art, tested by darkness, and illuminated by ceremony.