WOMEN'S HISTORY TRAIL • FRANKLIN NC
Women's History Trail Franklin NC

 

Meet the Artist: Wesley Wofford; FNSS, PSS


Academy Award winning artist Wesley Wofford, FNSS is an American Figurative Sculptor born in 1972. His monumental installations and portraits can be found in both Public and Private locations throughout the United States. Wesley has gallery representation worldwide, and his sculpture is recognized on an international level with various awards and publications celebrating and featuring his work.  His style emphasizes the human presence and is characterized by a dynamic use of form and texture. Wesley’s monuments provoke passionate responses and he is known for his intimate, emotionally charged portraits.

Early Years & Work

Wofford grew up in a rural Georgian town and displayed artistic talent at an early age that was recognized and nurtured by his mother.  She enrolled him in private art lessons very early, and he continued to develop his skills of drawing and sculpting thought his childhood. His father taught him a rigorous work ethic and home construction skills, and those combined with the artistic training  from various teachers gave him the foundational skills later needed to become a professional sculptor.  He attended Valdosta State University on a competitive art scholarship for a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, but grew restless and left with his Associates Degree to attend The Institute of Studio Makeup in Hollywood, CA. 


Women's History Trail Sculpture Artist Wesley Wofford

Marty Greeble FHAMC Quote

Upon graduation, he began working in the Motion Picture and Television Industry, and quickly rose in the ranks of the industry with his own silicone prosthetic techniques. In 2004, he won an Emmy from The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and in 2005 The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded him a Technical Achievement Academy Award for his groundbreaking and now industry standard contributions.  He received numerous other awards and accolades for his decade of work of over 75 projects in the film industry.

Today

In 2002 he moved to the mountains of North Carolina with his family to pursue Fine Art Sculpture full time.  Odyssey Wofford is his Studio Director and the couple operates Wofford Sculpture Studio from a ridge-line overlooking the National Forest.  Wesley curated a Permanent Collection and three Biennial Invitational Exhibitions within The Village Green - a 12 acre park near his home as well as serving as a Board Member and President.  He also curated an Inaugural Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition and served on the Board of Directors at The Bascom in Highlands, NC. In 2011 he became an Elected and Voting Member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  He was elected to The Portrait Sculptors Society of the Americas and Signature Status Member of The Portrait Society of America. In 2016, Wesley was elected a Fellow in the National Sculpture Society, a distinguished honor in his field, and is currently on the Board of Directors. His monumental installations and portraits can be found in numerous locations throughout the United States including the Nebraska State Capitol (Lincoln, NE), Wade Hampton Golf Club (Cashiers, NC), and The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Burbank, CA). Wofford’s 9 foot Harriet Tubman Monument “The Journey to Freedom” was featured on the cover of the Fall 2020 Issue of Sculpture Review Magazine and is currently touring the country as a traveling exhibition.

» To Learn More about Wesley & Odyssey Wofford Visit WoffordSculptureStudio.com

» 2023 Year in Review Wofford Studio Newsletter (PDF)