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What’s My Thesis?

What’s My Thesis?

305 Sterling Wells on Plein Air Watercolor, Contemporary Painting, Water Systems & the Art Market

Jul 21, 2026 · 57 min · 13 segments

Sterling Wells is a Los Angeles–based painter represented by Night Gallery whose practice combines plein air watercolor with ideas drawn from conceptual art, environmental systems, and site-specific…

Sterling Wells is a Los Angeles–based painter represented by Night Gallery whose practice combines plein air watercolor with ideas drawn from conceptual art, environmental systems, and site-specific observation. In this conversation, Wells reflects on growing up in St. Petersburg, Florida, studying painting and sculpture, living in New York after the 2008 financial crisis, and developing an interdisciplinary approach through graduate study at ArtCenter College of Design. The discussion examines the role of water as both material and metaphor, the relationship between documentation and painting, and the evolution of Wells' practice from sculptural installations to large-scale outdoor watercolor works. Wells also speaks candidly about gallery representation, artistic community, financial uncertainty, and the practical realities of sustaining a contemporary painting practice while remaining committed to a slow, labor-intensive process.

Sterling Wells is a Los Angeles–based painter represented by Night Gallery whose practice combines plein air watercolor with ideas drawn from conceptual art, environmental systems, and site-specific…

Speakers: Javier ProenzaHostSterling WellsGuest

Top entities: Florida×16 Los Angeles×10 Night Gallery×7 New York×10 California×2

Cold-Open and Show Introduction0:00 – 1:13

Sterling WellsGuest

0:00

I never imagined myself having to survive in the commercial market-driven art world.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:08

I never even wanted that.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:11

Kind of shocked that this is what I have to do now.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:17

I'm just broke, basically.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:20

I mean, it's very time-consuming.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:22

It's hard to imagine holding down a regular job.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:26

Welcome to What's My Thesis.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:27

I'm Javier Proenza and today my guest is Sterling Wells, a very accomplished painter, Florida man.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:37

I wear Florida man with pride.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:39

Do you wear that moniker or does that make you uncomfortable?

Sterling WellsGuest

0:42

I don't know about with pride, but I'll wear it, sure.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:45

Sure.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:47

I like how it kind of intimidates people a little bit.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:49

They're like, they don't quite know.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:53

My friends from Nevada have also noted that that is an advantage of being from Nevada too.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:58

Totally.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:59

Kind of like wild card.

Sterling WellsGuest

1:01

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

1:02

Well, I also know for a fact that you've sweated more than most people in their lives that live in California because I've been out there.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

1:10

So you're from St. Petersburg, right?

Sterling WellsGuest

1:12

Correct, yeah.

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FloridaAdministrative AreaUS state
98%16 mentions
Los AngelesCityCity in California
94%10 mentions
Night GalleryEntityArt gallery in Los Angeles, California
90%7 mentions
New YorkCityCity in New York State
85%10 mentions
CaliforniaAdministrative AreaUS state
81%2 mentions
En plein airEntity
77%1 mention
ArtCenter College of DesignCollege or UniversityCollege in Pasadena, California
73%1 mention
St. PetersburgCityCity in Florida
69%3 mentions
InstagramSoftware ApplicationSocial networking service
65%3 mentions
Rhode Island School of DesignEntityArt school in Providence, Rhode Island
60%2 mentions
Cold openEntity
56%1 mention
PatreonCompanyCompany
52%4 mentions
NevadaAdministrative AreaUS state
48%2 mentions
Winslow HomerPersonAmerican painter and illustrator
44%2 mentions
Hans HaackePersonGerman artist
40%1 mention
Master of Fine ArtsEntityDegree
35%2 mentions
MiamiCityCity in Florida
31%2 mentions
Los Angeles RiverRiverRiver in California
27%1 mention
Hans HofmannPersonGerman-American painter
23%1 mention
Josef AlbersPersonGerman-American artist and educator
19%1 mention
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
15%2 mentions
John Singer SargentPersonAmerican artist
10%1 mention
Louvre MuseumTourist AttractionMuseum in Paris, France
6%1 mention
Generation ZEntity
2%1 mention

Society
Visual ArtsArts
Art GalleriesArts > Art Market
Art SchoolsArts > Art Education
WatercolorArts > Visual Arts > Painting
PaintingArts > Visual Arts
Art EducationArts
Art MarketArts
Plein Air PaintingArts > Visual Arts > Painting > Watercolor
Art MovementsArts
Artist NetworksSociety > Art Community
Art CommunitySociety
Arts
Graduate ProgramsArts > Art Education > Art Schools
Art TechniquesArts > Art Education > Art Schools > Graduate Programs
ExhibitionsArts > Art Market > Art Galleries
Artist RepresentationArts > Art Market > Art Galleries > Exhibitions
Conceptual ArtArts > Art Movements > Contemporary Art
Interdisciplinary ArtArts > Art Movements > Contemporary Art > Conceptual Art
Support SystemsSociety > Art Community > Artist Networks
Artistic CollaborationSociety > Art Community > Artist Networks > Support Systems
Contemporary ArtArts > Art Movements

Cold-Open and Show Introduction0:00 – 1:13

Sterling WellsGuest

0:00

I never imagined myself having to survive in the commercial market-driven art world.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:08

I never even wanted that.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:11

Kind of shocked that this is what I have to do now.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:17

I'm just broke, basically.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:20

I mean, it's very time-consuming.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:22

It's hard to imagine holding down a regular job.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:26

Welcome to What's My Thesis.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:27

I'm Javier Proenza and today my guest is Sterling Wells, a very accomplished painter, Florida man.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:37

I wear Florida man with pride.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:39

Do you wear that moniker or does that make you uncomfortable?

Sterling WellsGuest

0:42

I don't know about with pride, but I'll wear it, sure.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:45

Sure.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:47

I like how it kind of intimidates people a little bit.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:49

They're like, they don't quite know.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

0:53

My friends from Nevada have also noted that that is an advantage of being from Nevada too.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:58

Totally.

Sterling WellsGuest

0:59

Kind of like wild card.

Sterling WellsGuest

1:01

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

1:02

Well, I also know for a fact that you've sweated more than most people in their lives that live in California because I've been out there.

J

Javier ProenzaHost

1:10

So you're from St. Petersburg, right?

Sterling WellsGuest

1:12

Correct, yeah.