Why does this site exist?
Lots of people know who Wesley Willis was. Many people were touched by him as a musical artist. But in the mid-90s craze to see Wesley as an alternative rock star, his importance as a visual artist was lost. This site is about Welsey Willis the artist. The creator of intense, accurate, and detailed pleine aire renderings of cityscapes in one of the greatest architectural cities in the world, Chicago.
If you have a work of art by Welsey Willis, please upload it here.
WESLEY WAS ONE OF THE BEST ARTIST THIS WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN, HIS WORK SHOULD BE REMEMBERED, I WAS ONE OF WESLEY'S FRIENDS AND HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE HIM DRAWING EVERYTHING FROM SPACE TANKS TO THE ROCK'N'ROLL MCDONOLDS. SOME DAY SOON A BOOK OF WESLEY'S ART WITH THE PROFITS GOING TO CHARITY WOULD ROCK. I HOPE ALL GOES WELL, CHRIS BAGLEY
Posted by: CHRIS BAGLEY | December 06, 2003 at 10:47 AM
i would love to obtain one of wesley's amazing drawings. i asked him if i could buy one every time i saw him, and he always told me he would bring me one next time :)
if anyone knows where i might be able to find a piece of his, please let me know! thanks
Posted by: adriana | January 02, 2004 at 06:21 PM
Ebay. Unfortunately, that seems to be the best place right now. There are some people on ebay who are selling Wes' drawings, and not gouging you. Good luck. Having never met Wesley, one of my dreams is to own one of his drawings. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a decent sized tx return so I can purchase one
Posted by: Art Ellis | January 03, 2004 at 11:04 AM
I knew Wesley well in the late 80s and early 90s. From the first day I encountered him at State and Madison, I was convinced that he had a great and unique artistic talent. In the late 80s I was studying video production at Columbia College, and I used Columbia's equipment to produce a cable access documentary about him, "Wesley Willis: Artist of the Streets." I own several of his drawings, some in which he incorporated my name on the sides of buses and on billboards. I cherish these drawings, though I am convinced they will grow in value. Maybe they're valuable already. What I remember most about Wesley was how open, trusting, and friendly he was. He always wanted to give me his drawings for free, and I had to insist that he let me pay him. I knew he needed the money. His passing is a terrible shame.
Posted by: Carl Hart | February 12, 2004 at 01:52 AM
I was directing this comment at Carl Hart and anyone else interested. I am a student filmmaker making a documentary on the legacy of Wesley Willis. I was wondering if I could talk to you and possibly use some of your footage in the documentary. I'm looking for photos, footage, stories and suggestions on who to contact. Please email me at: wesleydocumentary@hotmail.com
Posted by: erika valenciana | March 03, 2004 at 02:19 PM
I used to encounter Wesley all the time in the mid to late 80.2 whilst he sat in a folding chair on the corner of State and Rush streets with a stack of poster boards on his lap and a handfull of pens....all the while rockin out to whatever he had on his head phones. One rainy day I stopped and chatted with him, as a always did, and he gave me the piece he had just been drawing with felt tips and ball point pens. It was spotted with rain drops and slightly stained with coffee, or maybe a cola of some sort. Its a wonderful rendition of the intersection of State, Rush and Ceder street looking South. He signed it "yours truly Wesley Willis" and Ive had it hanging in my office where ever I have moved since.I am so sorry to have heard of his passing....he really did have an amazing view of the world. What a loss, Im glad a have a piece of his legacy and his contribution
Posted by: Jason Court | March 10, 2004 at 12:42 PM
I live in Santa Barbara, CA. A good friend of mine lent me, "The Daddy Of Rock & Roll". I have never seen anyone like Wesley. When I heard he had passed a few years ago, I was really sad that I would never get the chance to meet him. Since then, I listen to his music just about everyday. It puts me in a wonderful mood that no other music has done, nor ever will. I love introducing others to him. Either by his video or music. Some people just totally don't get it whatsoever. Yet others are amazed and think he's a genius. Though I had never the priviledged to meet him, I know he was a fantastic and beautiful person. An artist myself, I hope to own a piece of Wesley's art one day.
I think it is extremely prominent to get a book of Wesley and his work out to the public. Donating to charity would be great. I would definetally buy one and I know others would also. Please make this project a reality. Good luck.
R.I.P. Wesley Willis
Posted by: Chris | April 18, 2004 at 05:40 PM
Wesley Willis played my hometown. He played at the Marquee Club on September 11, 2001. The Marquee Club is the premier rock and roll venue in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was the largest crowd I have ever seen at the Marquee, we were packed in like sardines, there was hundreds of people, roaring like banshees for Wesley. We had heard about Wesley's music through the internet and listened from Napster.
Posted by: Eric | April 24, 2004 at 05:10 PM
i had just recently found out that wesley had died..i was thailand until now and to be touched personally by wesley..playing a outrageous music set in our living room, Denver Colorado, --he had taught me values of friendship and life..and how to rock and roll.
R.I.P
a great artist and good friend
Posted by: justin metzger | April 25, 2004 at 10:53 PM
I once had the great fortune of meeting Wesley and having him play our house for a whole day in Denver Colorado. It was something I will personally never forget. I am sorry I never got to see him again and know now he is gone, the world less of a place for it. Godspeed to our friend.
Andrew Gressman
Posted by: ANDREW GRESSMAN | May 19, 2004 at 04:57 PM
Hi there,
I am a grad student at the San Francisco Art Institute and I am writing a paper about the sale and exhibition of contemporary "outsider" artists work. I am using Wesley Willis as one of my case studies. I was hoping that if any of you have any information you could share it with me. I am interested, specifically, in how folks came to own drawings done by Wesley Willis, what they paid for them, what they are selling them for ect. Any info would be extreemly helpful.
Posted by: Naomi McCavitt | November 26, 2006 at 07:54 PM
did u see this?
http://www.nieves.ch/wesley.html
Posted by: info | May 20, 2007 at 03:48 PM
I worked at a cafe/venue called bon appetit in mpls, Minnesota Wesely played a two nighter there on new years eve of 02 Or 03 I work the deli counter that night and ended up buying one of his drawings. I knew him through his music but did not know at the time he was a visual artist. I watched him draw it with a mix of blue pen and neon crayola markers. he drew the whole thing in about a half hour from memory. Its a lake scene from somewhere in Chicago. I love it.
Posted by: Emiel Gregor | June 22, 2007 at 02:40 PM
i really want a wesley willis art piece ive been searching for one for ever and i cant find one for sale, if you are selling an art piece by him please email me and give me a price i really love this man
thank you
ian
iochambers@yahoo.com
please some one help me out
Posted by: Ian | August 02, 2007 at 03:17 AM
If anyone is a collector of WW's art, I have a copy of the catalog from this show. Its not the color version, just blue and tan, though its from the extinct 2008 Nieves print.
http://www.lespressesdureel.com/EN/ouvrage.php?id=1353
If you're interested, let me know!
Posted by: Steve Kush Ruiz | June 25, 2009 at 01:52 PM