Wes Hempel Born 1953
American, Painter

Hempel, speaking of art, says, "It's so pervasive a heterosexual story that you get in art history...I'm trying to imagine what a gay art historical past would look like." The artist, whose work is shown regularly in galleries and is frequently published, is also an award winning poet whose work is constantly in print. He came late to painting, when he was 38, and although essentially self taught, he states that it was his life-companion, the artist Jack Balas (whose work is also in Leslie/Lohman's permanent collection), who inspired him and continuingly informs his efforts. Hempel and Balas live and work in Colorado outside of Denver .