Donald Roller Wilson is an artist whose imagination draws on unusual resources for its outlet. His allegorical scenes of naughty monkeys, deranged kitties and rascally pups feature floating pickles, dancing cigarettes and a host of pop culture icons. His canvases tell a story in oil using techniques which are identical to those the Old Masters employed; but that may be where the similarities end.

I was first introduced to Mr. Wilson’s art (or Roller as his friends call him) when I interviewed Debbie Reynolds…I know, weird. Ms. Reynolds happened to mention that her daughter and friends were enamored of this particular artist’s work and over the years his canvases turned up in some of the homes I toured on my television show, Design for Living. I first contacted Roller by email and it turns out he lives in a remote section of Arkansas and….it happens to be the exact part of the state that both of my parents are from….I know, weird. I fell in love with his twisted sense of humour and of course, his talent speaks for itself.

Donald Roller Wilson has described his work as a “by-product of his thoughts.” According to him, he spends his days and nights pondering the meaning of life, the state of the universe and the Home Shopping Network………..

Roller Wilson’s recognizable works hang in the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn NY; Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, IL; Whitney Museum, New York, New York; Bank of America, San Francisco, CA; and Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden- Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC - and my house.

You must check out his website, www.donaldrollerwilson.com. In the meantime, here are a few of my favorites.

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