ABOUT WESLEY WILLIS

Wesley Willis (1963-2003) was a self-trained artist and native Chicagoan, growing up on Chicago’s Southside. Willis honed his technical abilities in the Chicago Public Schools, where he received an ‘A’ in his drafting class and aspired to become an architect. 

Willis could often be found sharing his drawings on the streets of Chicago and engaging those passing by, his personality and sensitive heart earning him a dedicated following. Willis’s graphic vision captures the urban life spirit of the late 20th century. As an intuitive artist he has made a bold, genuine, and unique contribution to the visual arts. His work is represented in significant museum collections both in Europe and America. 

EXHIBITIONS

2019 | City of Many Dreams

PRESS

2019 | Chicago Reader, The Many Dreams of Wesley Willis

2019 | Block Club Chicago, Chicago Icon Wesley Willis’ Vibrant Cityscapes Come To West Town In ‘City of Many Dreams’ Art Exhibit

2019 | Newcity, Chicago Dreaming: A Review of Wesley Willis at Matthew Rachman Gallery

2019 | Crain’s Chicago Business, The Best Art to See This Fall

2019 | Chicago Reader, Matthew Rachman Gallery Opens a New Exhibit of Wesley Willis’s artwork

WORK