Biography

John Sebelius is an interdisciplinary artist who holds a MFA from the University of Kansas and BFA with honors from Rhode Island School of Design. Sebelius’s work has been featured in: Harper’s, Express, DETAILS, Review, CNN, Aspen Daily News, The Washington Post, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. John has shown work in Gallery Two (Sydney, Australia), Woods-Gerry Gallery (Providence, RI), Mulvane Art Museum (Topeka, KS), Vermont Studio Center (Johnson, VT), Kansas City Artists Coalition, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and had a solo exhibition at the Gonzo Museum (Aspen, CO). Sebelius’s short documentaries have screened at Austin Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Festival, Virginia Film Festival, Free State Film Festival, and The American School of Kinshasa in Democratic Republic of Congo.

The citizens of Lawrence, KS voted him the Best Artist of 2022 and The Kansas City Chiefs selected him as the featured artist for My Cause, My Cleats 2018 and 2019. Sebelius' art program Artistic Expressions Healing Arts Initiative was created in 2016 as an art class for veterans who experienced military related trauma. This innovative art program has been taught at West Los Angeles VA Hospital (CA), Osawatomie State Hospital (KS), Lawrence College Amd Career Academy, The Stress Disorder Treatment Program (Colmery-O’Neil VA Hospital, Topeka, KS), Bert Nash Mental Health Center (Lawrence, KS), First Step at Lake View (DCCCA Women Treatment Facility, Lawrence, KS), VFW Post 1650 (Topeka, KS), and Warriors’ Ascent (Kansas City, MO); and awarded an ARPA Grant in 2022, Rocket Grants (Spencer Museum, Charlotte Street Foundation, and Andy Warhol Foundation of Visual Art) in 2018 and TOPArts Grant (ARTSConnect)  in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021.  Sebelius currently serves as Artist-In-Residence at Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment at University of Kansas and lives with his wife Allie, daughter Monroe, and son Leonardo in Lawrence, KS.  

For commission requests please email: johnsebelius@gmail.com