John Bell, Jr.

           

John Bell Jr. (1937 – 2013) was an acclaimed American painter and sculptor whose career spanned nearly fifty years.  He was born in 1937, suffering low blood oxygen at birth causing Cerebral Palsy. This meant he would spend a lifetime in wheelchairs and had limited use of his upper extremities, especially his right hand.               

Bell spent his time developing his skills as an artist and overcoming the perceptual bias that faced people with physical challenges. Through his life-long advocacy, Bell helped raise awareness of accessibility issues across the country. 

“Bell’s activism was part of who he was and what made living in this region better. His art though, would enhance all our lives and create his lasting legacy.”   – Bill Kropp, III