John Julius Wilnoty

John Julius Wilnoty was married to Eleanor Littlejohn (1937 – October 11, 2001), a basket weaver. John Julius Wilnoty had four children, two became sculptors as well.

Wilnoty's work has been included in many exhibitions, including the Smithsonian Institution. He had his first solo show in 1971 at the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, where he displayed twenty-one sculptures on loan from the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Burgess Indian Museum, and the Medicine Man Craft Shop. The show was organized by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, an agency within the Department of the Interior. Wilnoty and his wife were members of the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual from 1971 onward. In 1972 he had a second solo exhibit at the Norton Simon Museum (formerly the Pasadena Art Museum) in Pasadena, California, which included twenty-five soapstone pieces from a private collection in San Jose. The Smithsonian Collection holds eleven of Wilnoty's pieces in their permanent collection.

John Julius Wilnoty (April 10, 1940 – June 7, 2016) was a renowned self-taught sculptor of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Wilnoty carved from wood, bone, and mainly steatite (soapstone). Wilnoty's carvings portray figures from Cherokee oral history. His work has been displayed in many exhibitions; and some works are in the Smithsonian collection. His sons (Fred Wilnoty and the late John Wilnoty Jr.) and grandson (Fred Wilnoty Jr.) also established themselves as carvers.

Wilnoty created works until the early 21st century. He retired from sculpting because of damage caused to his hands throughout his career, as a result of his narcolepsy.