**[Wyatt Bunce](https://www.cohart.com/wyattbunce/profile)** is an artist based in Los Angeles, California. Raised in the Idaho mountains, he was a competitive snowboarder before studying Literature at Stanford University. His work evokes joyful narratives that extend off of the canvas. He speaks in whimsy and seeks to delight.

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##### What inspired you to become an artist, and how did you start your journey?

I was raised in Ketchum Idaho, in the house next door to where Ernest Hemingway died. The house is exactly as he left it in 1961, and it has an eerie power to it. Growing up I felt the strange ghostly presence of the writer next door. When I studied English Literature at Stanford, I was determined to become a writer. I felt an overwhelming urge to create, but I didn’t yet have a voice. I wrote heavy stories and felt like I needed to create with seriousness in order to validate my choice to go into the arts. I put pressure on myself and felt confined by my ideas about writing. In the evenings I would draw in oil pastel and give myself total freedom to create like a child. It was a way to blow off steam.

I liked bright colors, and my sense of humor peeked through when the stakes felt low. I was addicted to the freedom and playful nature of this work. That’s when things started to click for me, and when my art started to resonate with people. When I listened to what came out of me naturally I heard a gentle, uplifting whisper. At its best, my art communicates joy, and it seeks to delight. I had to get out of my own way to let it be anything but serious.

##### What is your favorite medium to work with, and why does it resonate with you?

Acrylic paint offers a bright, flat aesthetic. My style emerged when I found perspective and shading without too much paint texture.

##### What role does research play in your artistic process? Do you have a specific method for gathering inspiration?

When I look at art, I try to turn off the analytical part of my brain. I let go and listen to what excites my spirit. Often that’s bright colors and playful subjects. Hockney, Matisse, and Neel have been huge inspirations. So has Monty Python and movies like Best in Show and Spinal Tap. Comedy inspires my art!

##### How has your artistic vision evolved over time, and where do you see it heading in the future?

I’m guided by what feels exciting and uplifting to me. It’s hard to predict exactly where that will lead me because I want to feel free enough to move in new directions as they emerge. I do want my work to embody a playful, trickster spirit, and I see that leading to strange places.

##### How do you stay motivated and inspired during creative blocks or challenging times?

I make sure that I have something to work on every day. If I’m not inspired, I’m going through the motions—stretching a canvas, painting something I sketched two years ago, buying new brushes, or boxing a painting to ship it off. The key for me is to stay in motion. I don’t always love what I’m working on, but I prioritize finishing it and sharing it. The work itself feels good, even if I don’t love what I’m working on.

##### How do you balance commercial aspects of being an artist with your creative vision?

I find that when I’m excited about a painting it sells better. I have to paint what feels right and not what I think will sell. Once I’ve finished a piece, I think about how to best position myself to sell it. That means compartmentalizing. I do need to keep my website up to date, load photos onto Cohart, post on social media, and send emails, but I don’t think about that until I’ve finished a piece.

##### Does technology play a role in your art-making process?

I have used AI to generate reference images. I recently painted a piano and I wanted to get the light right. I typed in “generate an image of a piano in a room with a single light source behind”. This worked! 

##### Are there any upcoming projects that you're particularly excited about (ex. a new artwork, a show, a creative project)?

I have been painting functional bathroom items such as toilets and sinks. I am going to paint a functional bathtub soon. Maybe some faucets and showerheads too.

##### How do you approach the concept of success or failure in your art practice?

Success is having time and freedom to keep painting. If I can do this and live comfortably then I have succeeded.


##### What advice would you give to emerging artists or other artist peers trying to find their voice in the art world?

I would say: Don’t think about the type of artist you’d like to be. Start listening to what colors and subjects excite you. Start thinking about what you would want to see on your wall. The ideas you have about yourself aren’t very helpful. Let your work be different. Let it be simple if it needs to be. Apparently Toni Morrison started writing her first novel when she was having trouble finding the type of book that she wanted to read. So she wrote it herself. 

If you have an idea for a painting, but it feels like it’s too technical or advanced for your skillset, try it anyway. I didn’t know perspective or shading until I had an idea that called for it. I learned as I went. 

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Wyatt Bunce creates playful, uplifting art with acrylics, inspired by freedom, joy, and humor, often exploring unconventional subjects.

Spotlight: Wyatt Bunce’s Art Speaks in Bright Colors and Gentle Humor

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