Artist Spotlight: Julio Ceballos

By Lindsey Ebert

Artist Julio Ceballos has been fascinated with chimpanzees for years and has spent a lot of time trying to capture their essence in his art. He is especially inspired by their eyes, which he sees as windows into their souls, and has created many pieces illustrating them.

A few years after he graduated from Georgia State with a degree in Fine Arts, Julio discovered Project Chimps and contacted the sanctuary to see if he could visit and paint the chimps. But, at the time, only employees were allowed on-site. When he later learned that the sanctuary had grown and was seeking volunteer mural artists to brighten up the chimps’ living spaces, he knew he had to be involved. 

A Dream Come True

Julio was selected to paint a mural on two walls of a Cedar Tree Villa bedroom. “All of my dreams came true. I had been dying to go since Project Chimps opened,” said Julio.

Like humans, chimpanzees can see color and recognize objects and designs, so he knew he wanted to create something nature-based that would keep them stimulated and entertained. “Since it’s their bedroom where they are going to spend the night, I Googled where chimps sleep and found photos of the Congo and deep jungle and took inspiration from that. I tried to make it feel like they are in a tree canopy looking out into the sunset,” said Julio.

Julio traveled from Atlanta, Georgia to complete the project and stayed at the sanctuary’s intern cabin. It took him a total of around 24 hours to complete.

Use What You Have

As he painted, he used the chimps’ hanging structures to get to the hard to reach places. “It was actually really handy to have some bars to hang from. I looked like a monkey jumping around, grabbing onto things to reach the corners,” he said. 

Julio especially enjoyed the opportunity to see the chimps that he had been wanting to meet for years. “It was amazing. The chimps were trying to figure us out as much as we were trying to figure them out. It was crazy to lock eyes with them. You could immediately tell the complexity behind their eyes,” he said.

Upon completing the project, Julio said he was inspired by the chimps and is excited to continue offering his time and talents in the future. 

Follow Julio on Instagram @julioaceballos

Project Chimps will be selecting mural artists to donate their talent for additional spaces in 2021. Sign up for our newsletter so you don’t miss the announcement!