Josepha Selhorst was born in 1914, in Rietberg, Westphalia, Germany. She studied at UN(P) 1941-47 under Rosa Hope gaining a BA(FA) 1947 and 1956-57 at Düsseldorf State Academy attaining a testat.
She was an art lecturer at St. Francis College, Mariannhill, Natal from 1951-52.
Selhorst made a number of study tours to Europe, living there from 1971-1980 and studying mosaic work and stained glass. In 1986 she returned to South Africa. She then settled in Europe where she died.
She participated in numerous group exhibitions from 1949 in South Africa and Italy and held a number of one-person exhibitions, here and abroad. She undertook a number of public commissions in stained glass and mosaic for churches in SA. She is represented in a number of public collections in SA and in Europe.