Kevin James Wilson

Kevin James Wilson is a 2D artist and art teacher based in Indiana where he has taught multiple forms of media to students at institutions such as the International Business College and the Indianapolis Arts Center. Wilson's work has been featured in the Indianapolis Museum of Art's (IMA) Alliance Rental Gallery, the Penrod Arts Fair at the IMA, the Hoosier Art Saloon at the Indiana State Museum, the Broad Ripple Art Fair, the Harrison Center, the Indianapolis Airport, and the Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

Early life and education The Indianapolis Recorder has reported that Wilson has been drawing since the age of five after finding inspiration in the realistic art of Norman Rockwell. He won multiple competitions with his art in his school days before graduating from Indianapolis's Crispus Attacks High School in 1977. Wilson was then given a full-ride scholarship to attend the Rhode Island School of Design where he obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration. While still attending university, Wilson was given the opportunity to draw and present a portrait of Muhammad Ali at the Cotten Club after a chance encounter with a New York diplomat on a plane ride.

Career After graduation, Wilson taught graphic design at International Business College in Indianapolis for 25 years and airbrush at the Indianapolis Art Center for 12 years.

Wilson was highered on to his current position as the President of the Indiana Artist Club in 2022. He is the club's first president of color. The Harrison Center also selected Wilson to be a part of their ArtDish event in which they invite a local chef to curate a four-course meal based on a featured artist's work for guests to enjoy while also getting an opportunity to talk to the artist about their work. For Wilson's ArtDish Tawana Gulley, the executive chef of The AMP at 16 Tech's Healthy Soul restaurant, was chosen to be the head chef. On his basketball, Wilson depicted his alma mater's state championship win, honoring the Crispus Attucks High School boy's teams of 1955 and ’56.

From November 16–17, Wilson was a part of the Mélange Series at The Florence theater at The Academy of Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre in Carmel. This series brought together different types of performance and visual arts on the same stage and had them collaborate in front of an audience. In the show, Wilson created art in front of a live audience while sharing the spotlight with vocalist Tessa Gibbons and dancer Josie Moody.