Infinity expresses itself through endless creations
— worlds within worlds — whole unto themselves, but never complete. So too is my art.
About the artist
By Angela Holmes
2020 Book of Lists/Corridor Business Journal
John Paul Schafer is a self-employed, mid-career painter based in Cedar Rapids who has been working professionally since 1990. Always a painter first, he earned his initial living also working as a commercial screenprinter, graphic designer, art director and illustrator.
He works in both realms of non-objective expressionism and various forms of realism and figurative illustration. After years of experimentation and exploration, he currently is making hybrid imagery that integrates all of his individual experiences, musings, techniques and sensibilities into one unified body of work that he now signs under the moniker, "Johnny Paul Johnny Paul."
“As a philosopher, I'm naturally interested in the cosmos, theology and the meaning of life,” he said. “I'm a spiritual person who isn't confined to a specific religion. Nor am I
influenced by popular dogmas. I rather do my thinking for myself. I ask questions. I challenge beliefs. I seek truth.”
His repeating brand, Johnny Paul Johnny Paul, represents his inner and outer being – his physical and non-physical self; body and soul.
After two decades of selling his art through retail galleries, Mr. Schafer decided to represent himself and serve clients directly.
“I like to know who my collectors are, and I like to build rapport with them and their families and friends,” he said.
In 2015, Mr. Schafer and his spouse, Brian Smith, began their art fair journey with a few local markets, making significant sales and experiencing promising success. He now markets his paintings at juried shows and art markets all around the Midwest in cities like Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, Kansas City and Saint Louis, to name a few.
CAREER HISTORY:
Since 2007 — John Paul Schafer Fine Art — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — Self employed — Full-time studio painter
1990 - 2007 — Indepenence, Iowa (1990-1996), Cedar Rapids, Iowa (1996-2007) — Self employed — Part-time studio painter
1999 - 2007 — The Gazette Newspaper — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — Employed — Newsroom Artist
1997 - 1999 — EMB & Associates, Inc. — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — Employed — Art Director
1995 - 1997 — Alpha International, Inc. — Cedar Rapids,Iowa — Employed — Art Director
1992 - 1995 — Lamont Sign Company — Lamont, Iowa — Employed — Screenprinter/Design
PUBLIC WORKS:
2013 — U.S. Cellular Center — Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2010 — Buchanan County Health Center — Independence, Iowa
2009 — Taylor Elementary School — Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2009 — Independence Public Library — Independence, Iowa
2007 — Mercy Medical Center — Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2007 — University of Iowa — Iowa City, Iowa
2007 — Heartland Acres — Independence, Iowa
NOTABLE COLLECTIONS:
2019 — Busbee Wealth Strategies — Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2013 — Kirkwood Community College — Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2012 — Kirkwood Community College — Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2012 — Lowe Park Art and Environment Center — Marion, Iowa
2012 — Infinity Contact — Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2011 — Kirkwood Community College — Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2011 — Cherry Building — Cedar Rapids, Iowa
EXHIBITIONS:
2019 — Webster University — Saint Louis, Missouri — “Freedom of Expression”
2018 — Legion Arts/CSPS — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — “Dispatches”
2018 — Gallery 116 — Saint Charles, IL — “Different Strokes” — SOLO
2013 — Lowe Park Art and Environment Center — Marion, Iowa — “Profound Interpretations” — SOLO
2013 — Quad City Arts — Rock Island, Illinois — “Reigning Cats and Dogs”
2013 — Dubuque Museum of Art — Dubuque, Iowa — DuMA Juried Biennial
2013 — Kirkwood Community College — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — “Lost and Found" — SOLO
2012 — Cornell College — Mount Vernon, Iowa — “Remnants of Being" — SOLO
2010 — Quad City Arts — Rock Island, Illinois — “ROOTS: Who’s Your Momma?"
2008 — Legion Arts/CSPS — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — “Out Now" (Exhibition of Iowa LGBT artists)
2008 — Gallery IMA — Seattle, Washington — “Garden Virtue" — SOLO
2007 — Gallery IMA — Seattle, Washington — “New Works" — SOLO
2006 — Cedar Rapids Museum of Art — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — “Cedar Rapids: Day Into Night"
2006 — Legion Arts/CSPS — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — “Both Sides Now" — SOLO
2006 — SOPA Fine Arts — Kelowna, BC, Canada — “Urban Rhythms” — SOLO
2005 — Kansas City Artists Coalition — Kansas City, Missouri — 23rd Annual River Market Exhibition
2005 — Gallery Gora — Montreal, Quebec, Canada — “Urban Scrawl" — SOLO
2005 — Quincy Art Center — Quincy, Illinois — 55th Annual Quad-State Exhibition
2005 — Kirkwood Community College — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — “Urban Scrawl" — SOLO
2004 — Quincy Art Center — Quincy, Illinois — 54th Annual Quad-State Exhibition
2004 — Wiederspan Gallery — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — “Fall Tour"
2003 — Kirkwood Community College — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — “Large Works"
2003 — Kansas City Artists Coalition — Kansas City, Missouri — 21th Annual Quad-State Exhibition
2003 — Wiederspan Gallery — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — "ColorForms" — SOLO
2002 — Arthouse on Ingersoll — Des Moines, Iowa — “Abstract Painters"
2001 — Des Moines Art Center — Des Moines, Iowa — “By Design: IA'01"
2001 — Mount Mercy College — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — “Watercolor Invitational"
2000 — Wiederspan Gallery — Cedar Rapids, Iowa — “Circumvential Sensations" — SOLO
2000 — Cornell College — Mount Vernon, Iowa — “Relationshapes" — SOLO
2000 — Whitter Gallery — Storm Lake, Iowa — “Emotionalities" — SOLO
1999 — Cornell College — Mount Vernon, Iowa — “Emotionalities" — SOLO
1998 — The Octagon Center for the Arts — Ames, Iowa — “Iowa Artists in Time and Spaces"
PUBLICATIONS:
2020 — Book of Lists 2020 (cover art) — Corridor Business Journal — North Liberty, Iowa
2020 — College Hill Arts Festival Calendar (featured artist) — Woolverton Press — Waterloo, Iowa
2011 — Book of Lists 2011 (cover art) — Corridor Business Journal — North Liberty, Iowa
2011 — Studio Visit Magazine (Vol. 13) — Open Studios Press — Boston, Mass.
2001 — New American Paintings (Book #37) — Open Studios Press — Boston, Mass.
GRANT AWARDS:
2011 — Iowa Arts Council — Mini grant for exhibitions — $1,500
2008 — Iowa Arts Council — Mini grant for public art — $1,500
2008 — Iowa Arts Council — Major grant for public art — $10,000