john bukaty

John Bukaty is an American pioneer of the live painting movement. He began his career twenty years ago on canvas capturing weekly band performances at a Kansas City brewpub, but has since traveled to India, Ireland, Mexico, and beyond creating and sharing his work through mediums ranging from painting and sculpture to poetry and apparel.

One of Bukaty’s most unique gifts is his ability to capture the essence of live action on canvas. He has been selected to commemorate such events as the NFL Super Bowl, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and the American Century celebrity golf championship. As a result, he has created a vast national network of fans and collaborators. He works often with Grammy Award-winning musician, Anders Osborne, on the Send Me A Friend project, which helps support newly-sober musicians on the road.

Leveraging his work and artistic influence, Bukaty has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for organizations such as the YMCA, the American Cancer Society, the Community Service League, the SPCA, and the Halo Foundation. He is an annual feature in Paul Rudd’s charity event, The Big Slick, to help raise money for Children’s Mercy Hospital of Kansas City. He also devotes a great deal of time to teaching art to students of all ages. These charitable pursuits have not only shaped his work over time, but have cemented his belief in the powerfully important impact art can have on our communities.

Both socially-conscious and visually-stimulating, John’s work has been featured in numerous solo shows. Having owned and operated three fine art galleries himself, he has also been featured in shows at the Denver Art Museum, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum in Kansas City. He received national recognition for his project on New Orleans potholes and was asked to create an album cover for Steve Windwood’s record of greatest hits. Celebrity collectors of his work include Matthew McConaughey, Penelope Cruz, J.J. Cale, and John Popper, and he has created important commissions for corporate clients such as Chipotle, Toyota, BMW, Budweiser, and Jameson.

Having risen from the ashes of trauma, addiction, heartbreak, and economic struggle, Bukaty’s feverish daily pursuit of art has been rewarded with opportunities to paint in some of the most historically significant and inspirational environments on Earth, most notably the Taj Mahal and the Vatican. With a rare vibrancy and purposeful dedication, Bukaty’s ability to harness his creative energy is unmatched. He has dedicated his life to serving art by living with creative intention, giving back to his community, and using his talents to connect with the world around him.