John Bukaty: Special Edition

Bukaty was born and raised in Kansas City, MO.  The son of an NFL player and stay-at-home mom, he grew up drawing – in mud at first – and then with paper and pencil.  He worked diligently on his drawing in grade school and learned as much as he could on his own, and with the help of his mother, who took him regularly to local museums so he could study the work of the Masters up close.Bukaty paints people in their times and in their places.  He paints them in the middle of loud, busy, and cherished live events.  He paints to preserve moments, forever etched in color on canvas, and in the minds of attendees.  He has painted portraits of Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson, Widespread Panic, and Blues Traveler. In 2009 Bukaty traveled to India and created 100 paintings in 100 days in his “100 Paintings Ago” collection.  In 2015 he traveled to Ireland and captured the Irish landscape and culture in his collection “Ireland’s 33.” Bukaty donates his time and talent as often as he can. Benefactors of his work include the YMCA, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Halo Foundation, American Cancer Society, and the SPCA.  In 2012, Bukaty created KARTMA (a fusion of the words Karma and Art), a philanthropic organization designed to combine art, philanthropy, and community.  He captures dynamic moments on canvas at live events.  He then donates his original creations to benefit the organizations.