Psychedelic Design Hero

Wes Wilson

Wes Wilson (1937-2020) was an American artist during the Psychedelic art period. This period was known for the art made under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs. He was a part of a group of well-known San Francisco artists called ‘The Big Five.’ This group included Alton Kelley, Victor Moscoso, Rick Griffin, Stanley Mouse, and Wes Wilson. They even opened a company of their own to design posters and other art commissions.

Wes Wilson is the father of the 60s rock concert poster and the pioneer of psychedelic art. He started his career in 1965 at Contact Printing which established him as a poster artist. He was inspired by the Art Noveau period.

His work was unique and took the art world by storm, but in his later years, he lost his originality because of the number of artists that imitated his style.

**1967, featuring Grateful Dead, Otis Rush Chicago Blues Band,**
**The Canned Heat Blues Band**

**1966, featuring Mindbenders, Chocolate Watchband**

He gained fame for his posters for Bill Graham, Family Dog Productions, Moonalice, and more. He also dabbled in fine art, making watercolor and ink illustrations. He made many fine artworks throughout his career that sold to people’s private collections. In his later life, he left poster making and took solace in the countryside. He spent the rest of his life on a farm.