Della Wells is a nationally celebrated artist whose detailed collage work will be on display in Kentuck's Museum Gallery from August 1, 2024 through September 29, 2024.
Della's collages, while multi-faceted, are bold and cohesive. She is a gifted story teller.
"I am Della Wells and all my life I've been trying to tell my own truth"
Della Wells was born in 1951 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is a self-taught artist.
"It wasn't until later in life that I discovered my artistic voice."
As a child, she invented stories and characters based on her mother’s recollections of growing up in North Carolina during the 1920s through the 1940s. Wells used these stories to escape the uncertain realities created by her mother’s mental illness and her father’s rage, eventually inspiring the collage art she creates today. Wells feels strongly that
“being a master of your spiritual self does not come until you understand from where you came from.”
She incorporates her own folklore in her work which often has subtle symbols referencing the Civil Rights Movement. As a young woman she was angry and depressed. As a result, she became interested in other peoples lives and hearing their stories, and she found that this helped her to heal. In her work, Della has created the world of Mamboland where Black women rule, and this is the world on display in Kentuck's Museum Gallery.
"Mamboland women take care of each other and are warriors through sexism, racism, and folks just plain messin' with you."
Della Wells was one of the two recipients of the City of Milwaukee’s Artist of the Year Award for 2016. Her work has appeared in various publications including “Self Taught, Outsider and Folk Art Guide to American Artists, Locations and Resources“ by Betty-Carol Sellen, “A Creative Place: the History of Wisconsin Art” by Thomas D Lidtke and Annemarie Sawkins, “Black Collagists” by Teri Henderson, and “BEYOND 70: The Lives of Creative Women” by Stacy Russo.
Her work has been exhibited in Europe and throughout the U.S. Portrait Society Gallery presents her work annually at the Outsider Art Fair in New York City and in 2021 introduced her work at Untitled (Art Basel) Miami.
Wells' artistry expands beyond the visual arts. For instance, First Stage Children's Theater commissioned the world premiere production of Y York's "Don't Tell Me I Can't Fly", a semi-biographical play inspired by the life and art of Della Wells. The play was read at at the Kennedy Center’ New Vision/New Voices Festival, and has been performed in Milwaukee, WI, Birmingham, AL, and Charlotte, NC.
Additionally, Wells' artwork is also featured in children's books. An image of one of her artworks is featured in Susan Magsame's children's book "The Classic Treasury of Childhood Wonders: Favorite Adventures, Stories, Poems, and Songs for Making Lasting Memories." Her artwork also brings life to the story of "Electric Angel," a children's book by Nanci J. Mortimer.
Recent solo exhibitions include “Souls Bloom in This Garden,” Andrew Edlin Gallery, NYC, in 2022; “Her Story, My Dreams: The Images of Della Wells,” 2018 at Loyola University Museum of Art, Chicago; “Another Happy Mambo Day: The Invented Worlds of Della Wells,” Wright Museum, Beloit College, 2017. Wells is currently the Annette and Dale Schuh Visiting Artist at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Wells’ work is in over 100 private, museum & corporate collections, including the American Folk Art Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, Museum of Wisconsin Art, The Hurn Museum of Contemporary Folk Art, & the Penn Center.
Listen to Della share her artist statement through an animation by Blackbox Visual here.
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This exhibition is a part of Kentuck’s 2024 season, “Repurposed,” which lifts up women’s voices in art and community through visual art exhibitions, music, and a series of speakers and is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Kentuck's Gallery Shop is open Monday through Friday 9:00am-5:00pm and Saturday and Sunday 12:00pm-4:00pm.
Please call Kentuck Art Center at 205-758-1257 or email mnelko@kentuck.org to inquire about purchasing any available works.
Available Works:
Please click on each image for a closer look.
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