Don Wesley, Bald Starling, 2021, Acrylic on canvas, 48 x 36 x 1.5 in

Don Wesley's practice has been shaped profoundly by teachers, mentorship, and education. He describes educators as central to both his development as an artist and his broader personal growth, offering guidance, support, and formative direction.

While studying art at Western Washington University in the mid-1990s, Wesley worked closely with painting professor and mentor Ed Bereal, who emphasized the idea that art can function as a "lever for change," a principle that continues to inform his work. Another professor, Margery Amdur, introduced him to the use of non-art materials and techniques for making acrylics behave like oils through mediums and suspensions. His study of dance under Nolan Dennett also informs his understanding of movement and the depiction of physical gesture in his work.

Wesley is an artist and teacher living and working in Skagit County, with studios in Day Creek and La Conner. His engagement with nature began after arriving in Washington State from Ohio in 1989 while serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Lewis. After completing his service, he earned a degree from Western Washington University in 1995 with portfolios in painting, illustration, and graphic design. In 2025, he completed the Washington State Arts Commission's Teaching Artist Training Lab (TATLab) and now teaches art for grades K-12 throughout Skagit County through the Museum of Northwest Art's Creative Connections program.