Johnny Dame
Artist, Naturalist, Earth Shepherd and Independent Environmental Educator
Johnny Dame weaves the ancient threads of tradition into the vibrant tapestry of the modern world. With roots deeply embedded in the timeless teachings of our ancestors, Johnny specializes in cultivating a profound "Sense of Place," helping people reconnect with the land through his unique blend of art, music, and storytelling. He is a Seventh Generation Floridian whose heritage is of English, French, Spanish and Choctaw.
*This conversation was recorded onsite at the 2024 Florida Permaculture Convergence.
After discovering the springfed Ichetucknee River in 1984, Dame anchored his commitment to environmental stewardship in North Florida, later serving on numerous conservation boards and dedicating himself to advocating for the rights of the natural world.
As both an artist and naturalist, Dame's work is deeply influenced by ancient traditions passed down from teachers like Wallace Black Elk, as well as the phenological wisdom inherited from his father and grandmother. For over 25 years, he served as the Resident Artist and Naturalist at Panther Meadows on Mount Shasta, and held a similar position at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida. His handcrafted physiographic maps and intricate ecosystem paintings have become powerful educational tools in classrooms from elementary to university levels, helping students develop a profound "Sense of Place" and deeper understanding of their relationship with the natural world. Through his unique blend of art, music, and storytelling, Dame continues to inspire others to see the world through a lens of respect, reverence, and responsibility, weaving together the threads of tradition with modern environmental education.
“Most of us don’t really know where we are - we use modern man-made landmarks to describe our location. I live down this part of the highway or near this shopping center... but the truth is there is some kind of uniqueness to the physiographic landform that you live on no matter where you are... It may be buried under concrete and it may be disguised by buildings, but it’s still there and it has a spirit.”
The Proven Sustainable™ Conversation Series is a fiscally sponsored project of the Center for Transformative Action, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Any funding directed towards the Conversation Series will go towards production efforts to ensure the the recorded discussions are diligently captured and meaningfully distributed. This Conversation Series and website are not-for-profit and created with the intent of channeling support directly to the Peoples represented.