John Bell Jr. (artist)

John Bell Jr. (October 4, 1937 – November 8, 2013) was an highly thought of American painter and sculptor whose career spanned approximately fifty years.

Bell was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas upon October 4, 1937, the son of Oklahoma-born parents John Sr. and Lillian L. Bell (née Sweeten). He graduated from Northside High School and University of Arkansas in 1965.

In August 2013, Bell was diagnosed with belly cancer. He taking into account died of the illness on November 8, 2013, aged 76, at his Fort Smith home. Bell was survived by his wife, Maxine, of fifty years, a daughter (born 1965), a granddaughter, and his brother.

In 2022, the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas approved the naming of a new park along Riverfront Drive after the late artist. John Bell Jr. Park will be 51 acres and augment soccer fields, an inclusive playground, and options for forward-looking expansion.