By Amanda Bold
By Bob Eppers
Geoffrey Mix Johnson was the epitome of cowboy. He was raised on a ranch south of the Bear Paw Mountains in the Missouri Breaks of Montana, an environment where Charlie Russell also gained inspiration for his artistry.
Geoffrey understood his lifestyle was a blessing earned through years of sweat and tears, 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.”
Geoffrey was involved with every facet of cowboy culture, drawing inspiration from his everyday life and his rodeo days riding saddle broncs. His ideals were depicted in 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.
He 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 chuck wagon, or the inevitable dismount from a bronc, Geoffrey’s art was produced with the attention to detail only a true cowboy could possess.
He passed away Oct. 31, 2009 at 59, leaving behind a loving family, numerous cowboy friends and his two beloved children. He also left behind an unfinished work.
His artwork Dismount originally was created in 1976 using sculpey, a hard wax. As Geoffrey had lost his passion for the piece, Dismount was passed on to a friend. Twelve years later it was given to Geoffrey’s wife Micki Johnson, who held on to it for 35 years.
This piece of art would remain unfinished for 47-years before the same strength, determination, and love for cowboying demonstrated by Geoffrey would lead another artist to complete his work.
Christopher Johnson, Geoffrey’s son, spent summers riding on the train from Wisconsin to Montana to be on the ranch with his father and older sister Cassie. He learned to “ride for the brand,” which often meant working from dawn until dusk.
He was taught the many principles of being a true cowboy, including 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 used the discipline and determination he learned on the family ranch while riding bulls in high school rodeo, and then riding saddle broncs in college rodeo and the PRCA.
At 23, he received a diagnosis of Stage 4 cancer in 2016. The cancer had spread to his stomach, lungs and liver. After six months of chemotherapy at the University of Iowa Hospital, the chemo was not working.
Christopher transferred care and treatment to the University of Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson, and after six more months of chemotherapy, he rang the bell at the Cancer Center, announcing he was cancer free!
Christopher then began to explore his passion for art, drawing inspiration from his father’s work. He discovered his talent for sculpture and created numerous pieces.
In 2022, Christopher was given the box containing the unfinished sculpture. He didn’t know it
existed.
Christopher began working on the sculpture in Prescott. With hopes to transform 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.
What his father’s hands began, Christopher finished with his own, and the family legacy continues.
