John Sebelius, photographed at Disney Lot in Burbank, CA during Veteran's Day SALUTE 2017. A series of veteran drawings from Artistic Expressions were exhibited at Walt Disney's original bungalow.
Artistic Expressions Healing Arts Initiative was created in 2016 by artist John Sebelius as an art class for veterans who experienced military related trauma. This program is a crash course on how to use art materials as tools for self-expression and provides both mental and physical space for participants to learn new skills and explore their emotions, histories, and health needs through a creative healing process. Sebelius serves as Artist-In-Residence at Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment at University of Kansas. Artistic Expressions Healing Arts Initiative is taught weekly at DCCCA’s First Step at Lake View Women Addiction Facility and Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center .
Artistic Expressions Healing Arts Initiative Founder John Sebelius Biography
John Sebelius is an interdisciplinary artist and filmmaker who holds a MFA in Drawing & Painting from the University of Kansas and BFA in Illustration from the 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), Vermont Studio Center (Johnson, VT), Kansas City Artists Coalition, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a solo exhibition at 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 Best Artist of 2021 and he was chosen to be the featured artist for My Cause, My Cleats 2018 and 2019 for The Kansas City Chiefs.
"The majority of participants attending my class have no past experience with art creation and have great trepidation about their own creative abilities before they take the course. I have seen a profound change in the individuals after they have completed the class; they are positively affected by this type of creative exploration and are engaging in a holistic approach to healing that builds on creativity, self-reflection, and community-supported treatments."
- John Sebelius
PARTNERS
ARTSConnect
Kansas arts non-profit ARTSConnect has partnered with Artistic Expressions Healing Arts Initiative for it's fundraising efforts for 2018. ARTSConnect is dedicated to ensuring that the arts – in all forms – continue to be a critical part of a vibrant Topeka, KS. They are dedicated to expanding the arts, connecting artists with their audiences, taking on new and innovative projects that support and promote the arts in Topeka and challenging our community leaders to stand in support.
Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research & Treatment
The mission of the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment is to serve as a hub for research, training, education and outreach that seeks to understand, prevent, and treat addiction and related disorders, promote health and improved quality of life, and reduce stigma. The center will bring together scientists, practitioners, policy makers, and students across diverse disciplines from the KU Lawrence campus, KU Medical Center, and community partners with the purpose of supporting collaborative research and community-academic partnerships that leverage the expertise of center members and partners.
Warriors’ Ascent
Warriors' Ascent was created in 2014 by two Iraq combat veterans who returned home and realized they needed additional resources to cope with the moral injuries they suffered on the battlefield. Unable to find a solution that provided long-term results, they set about to create their own. Seeking cutting edge holistic medical practices based on scientific research, they developed the Academy of Healing and began inviting other Warriors to join them on the journey to recovery. Now in its third year of operations, Warriors' Ascent has served over 300 Veterans and First Responders who have graduated from the program. Our alumni are comprised of Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans as well as active-duty members from all branches of the armed services. They are joined by their brothers and sisters in Law Enforcement, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services representing over 15 departments from throughout the nation.
Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center
The Bert Nash Center is a nonprofit community mental health organization offering a wide range of outpatient services. It was founded in 1950 in memory of Dr. Bert Nash (1898-1947), a University of Kansas educational psychologist and community leader dedicated to improving the health of Kansas children. Today, the Center is a licensed, comprehensive mental health facility committed to providing research-based services to improve the lives of Douglas County residents. The Center provides a number of outpatient therapy options for adults and children, including individual and group therapy and several specialized services.
Osawatomie State Hospital
Founded in 1866, Osawatomie State Hospital (OSH) is licensed by the State of Kansas to provide care and treatment for adults diagnosed with psychiatric disorders regardless of ability to pay. OSH serves individuals from 36 counties in Kansas in collaboration with 12 Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs). The centers refer individuals for admission to the hospital through a collaborative screening process. There are currently two hospitals on the Osawatomie campus in Miami county: Osawatomie State Hospital and Adair Acute Care.
First Step At Lake View (women)
The residential programs offer expanded services to help reduce barriers to long term recovery. Services include detox beds, individual and group therapy, life skills coaching, health and wellness services, mental health services, family support, parenting skills training, and referrals for domestic violence intervention. Case managers help clients find employment, safe housing, or continue their education to help them become self-sustaining when they leave treatment.