John DeFaro is an American artist and designer whose interdisciplinary practice spans sculpture, painting, drawing, printmaking, fashion, performance, and photography. A self-taught Queer artist, DeFaro draws from personal experience and cultural insight to create work shaped by environmental awareness and social engagement. He is also a gardener, naturalist, and three-time volunteer grant panelist for the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs. In 2024, he became a Tropical Audubon Ambassador, deepening his commitment to environmental stewardship.
Born in Greenport, New York, DeFaro began his creative path on Eastern Long Island, where he connected with artists and designers and worked in his mid-20s as an assistant to curator and critic Henry Geldzahler. His early career included designing for Lexington Home Brands and exhibiting his weathervane sculpture The Wave at the Parrish Art Museum Design Biennial.
Since moving to Miami in 1995, DeFaro has exhibited widely, studied at Miami Ad School, and created limited-edition works in support of local arts and culture initiatives. His Green Paintings series and the performance piece Sew Me, featuring Niurca Márquez, debuted at Feria Clandestina Art Fair during Miami Art Week 2023. That same year, his wall assemblage was featured in Spectrum: Exploring Diversity in Art at the Miami-Dade Public Library. In 2024, he was one of ten artists selected for the Green Space Miami Open Call Exhibition, where he led two public workshops titled FREE AIR.
DeFaro is the founder of DeFaro LLC and the creator of greenreligion.com, a climate-focused studio, platform, and brand developed through his expanded studio practice. First secured nearly two decades ago, the domain has evolved into a central initiative exploring the relationship between climate and culture through storytelling, objects, and collaborative work. The platform includes a growing shop of artist-driven merchandise, where design and messaging intersect to encourage environmental awareness, eco-spiritual connection, and participation in climate solutions. Proceeds support the platform’s development and contribute to ongoing arts and culture projects.
His work has been recognized with COVID Artist Relief Grants from Oolite Arts Miami, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with Pérez Art Museum Miami, and Americans for the Arts, along with two Artist Access Grants from the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs. In 2024 and 2025, DeFaro also served as a grant panelist for both the Artist Access and SAS-C (Summer Arts and Sciences) programs with the Department.
John DeFaro BIO
John DeFaro. Photographers: Nicole Combeau and Trevor Owens
John DeFaro