Wesley Eberle is an American painter, sculptor and designer based between London and Hydra. His work explores the space between figuration and abstraction and is characterised by thick, expressive brushstrokes, deep layers, heavy impasto, and a vibrant palette. He addresses change, memory, and the multiplicities of self with figures depicted in a constant state of transformation. ‘The Crowd Bare and White’ is part of a series of works exploring the crowd as an environment that brings solace but also loneliness. The crowds of our lives (our acquaintances, our friends, our lovers) can give strength to our convictions or lead us away from our true selves.

His first major solo show was held at the House of St Barnabas (London, 2023). He has also participated in numerous exhibitions across the UK and Europe, and his work has garnered a devoted following among collectors throughout Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States.

‘Who are you?

I appreciate you having put the most deeply philosophical question first. My name is Wesley Eberle. In this case, I am an artist.

What is your creative area of expertise?

As an artist, I am primarily a painter and sculptor.

Main inspirations?

I am inspired by what I see and feel. I do not seek to recreate it, but I do seek to communicate it. I came to painting through music. Songwriters tell stories, but they tell their own. Motherwell said that the function of the artist is to express reality as felt. I attempt to share the feeling of a story, not to tell it.

Tell us a little bit about the work you chose to share

‘The Crowd Bare and White’ is part of a series of works exploring the concept of the crowd. The crowd brings us solace but also loneliness. It is a place where we can experience the many versions of ourselves but also be limited by them. The crowds of our lives – our acquaintances, our friends, our lovers – can give strength to our convictions or lead us away from our true selves.

What is your work process?

Process is the lifelong conversation you have with your work, and one must keep that prayer honest.

One special moment that happened to you this year?

A special place for me is the Greek island of Hydra. There are no roads. We walk. We see one another. There is a sense of community that has been lost in many of our worlds. There is serendipity. I have a studio about 600 stairs above the small port. And when I’m not working, a good place to find me is on my kaiki, a traditional Greek wooden fishing boat that I share with an artist friend. One is rarely lonely on Hydra.

A piece of advice?

Eat breakfast. Exercise. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Welcome words of wisdom from the past. Call your mother. And go buy an envelope.

What’s next?

I don’t know any more than you. But I am optimistic.’