James Wempe
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self-taught artist, this Louisville Kentucky native is known for placing
famous people in local landmarks. Every since he was a child, Wempe
loved to draw. Sketching famous people and places is how Wempe refined
his natural abilities. Friends and family members actually helped Wempe
develop his skills, critiquing his sketches by how accurately he
reproduced well known characters. "I started out with simple
characters like Gasper The Friendly Ghost, and went on from there."
After mastering the art of sketching, Wempe moved on to painting, ultimately specializing in painting billboards for outdoor advertisers. Wempe was especially skilled in painting faces, huge faces which sometimes occupied entire billboards. This specialized style technique earned Wempe national recognition as a painter as he traveled throughout the Southeast United States. During this time, Wempe also created his own works, including oil on canvass and colored-pencils on paper. While in Alabama, Wempe drew several Civil War pieces which were sold nationally. Wempe is married, has five children and four grand children, and currently resides in Tennessee where he continues to paint and produce prints. |
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