Meet Wes Coke

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Wes Coke. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Wes below.

Wes, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I try to keep my creativity alive by staying curious about people. Most of my work starts with the human figure, but it’s less about accuracy and more about presence — the emotion in a gesture or the quiet in-between moments. I think as long as I stay interested in what it means to just be human, there’s always something new to explore. And I try not to take it all too seriously. A little humor, a little play, and a lot of patience seem to keep things moving.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

What’s most exciting to me about my work is the way it balances vulnerability and humor. I paint people in moments that feel real, not overly posed or polished, and there’s something about that rawness that keeps me coming back.

The goal of my work is for it to feel like a conversation between what’s seen and what’s felt. I like when a painting makes you pause because it’s both familiar and a little strange.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I’d say the three most impactful things for me have been observation, patience, and a willingness to experiment.

Learning to really see — not just what’s in front of you, but how light, color, and emotion play together

Patience has probably been the hardest lesson. Painting teaches you that things don’t always come together right away, and sometimes the best work happens after mistakes or feeling incompetent.

And then there’s experimentation, giving yourself permission to fail a little.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

I think my, or any artists, biggest challenge right now is staying genuine in a world that moves too fast. There’s constant pressure to produce, post, and stay visible, and that can make the work feel performative instead of personal. It’s easy to lose sight of why you started making art in the first place.

The best way to push back against that is to slow down and protect your creative space. Make time to paint or create without thinking about how it’ll be received or how it fits an algorithm.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wescokedesigns.com
• Instagram: @wescokedesigns