Native artist, who went blind at 55, gives free talks on resilience

In the coming weeks, artist John Halliday will be giving free talks about Native American history and resilience in Walla Walla, Longview and Tacoma. 

Halliday is an enrolled member of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. He’s also a descendant of the Duwamish, Klickitat and Wasco peoples. In August 2020, he was serving as a deputy regional director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs when he returned home to Tacoma to have a tonsillectomy. 

“I had an allergic reaction to prescribed medication,” Halliday said. “And I died.” 

His wife gave him CPR, as did the medical professionals in his house, in the ambulance and in the hospital. He ended up in a coma for six days. 

Halliday woke to a different world — a world in which he could not see. As a result, he lost his job and much of his sense of masculinity.

“I was used to putting meat on the table; I was used to being a hunter and a fisherman taking care of the family,” he said. “I didn’t want my kids to see me just sitting around feeling sorry for myself.”  

So Halliday began thinking about what other directions his life could take. 

“What has God left me?” Halliday asked. “He left me with the ability to speak. And crazy enough — artwork. Even though I can’t see it clearly, I know what shapes I make and I’m able to produce a picture in my mind and put it on the canvas.” 

A painting of a pink horse by John Halliday. (Courtesy of John Halliday)

Halliday, whose father ran the Sacred Circle Gallery in Seattle, has since displayed his artwork at several locations across the Northwest. His art is tactile, with clouds made out of bathroom caulking, waves cemented in glue drips and killer whale skin textured with seed beads and sand.

In addition to his art, Halliday does public speaking. His upcoming talk, titled “What Is a Chief?” is based on his life experience, and particularly on dreams he had while he was in a coma. 

“I was brought back to bring you this message that we can all be chiefs in our own way,” Halliday said. “By mother taking care of daughter, father taking care of son, friend helping friend.” 

Halliday hopes his story of resilience can be an inspiration for others. “If you have disabilities or you get knocked down, you don’t have to think it’s a life sentence, you don’t have to accept ‘no,’” he said. “If you can’t do things, you can figure a way.” 

Halliday will speak at Walla Walla’s Gesa Power House Theatre on Oct. 23, the Longview Public Library on Nov. 6 and the Parkland/Spanaway branch of the Pierce County Library System on Nov. 10.