John Soderberg Artist Bio

“One of the most crucial human qualities, I believe, is empathy. Given empathy, brutality becomes impossible. Empathy is at the heart of our humanity, and in fact is the heart of our humanity, for it reduces the barriers of race, religion, and creed to items of mild interest, while unlocking our true, inherent human dignity.”

The act of encapsulating empathy in some medium, be it dance or music, painting or sculpture, simple stories or more complex forms, is my definition of art. The feeling and then the sharing of an emotion or idea — which is the essence of art — is what makes us human”.

"To me, art is not a luxury, but is a basic human necessity. Art can, and should, remind us of our humanity, and that of others, and enhance the quality of our lives. From the earliest artists, Stone Age storytellers around a fire in a cave, to the painters and sculptors and architects of today, art has pervaded and shaped our societies. To me, an artist is not primarily a creator, but is rather a conduit - absorbing, translating, and conveying messages of value to others, living or centuries yet to be born."

John Soderberg circled the world eight times and visited more than 40 countries before graduating high school in Thailand. He started making art and sculpting at a very young age. He participated in an Artist in Residence at Northern Arizona University and later received his Ph.D. in Humane Letters from that institution. He has since completed monumental bronze commissions for private parties, corporations, churches, and organizations across the world!  John became involved with service-work in the military and has since donated a large portion of his time, money and work, focusing on children and women in need. He has worked with domestic abuse shelters, Amnesty International, Free the Slaves, Rancho Feliz, Big brothers, Big Sisters, and many other groups and causes. In the late 90s, John was knighted by Ulf Hamilton, a Swedish Count, for his service. He still lives and works and is an active member of the community here in Sedona.

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