As a child, Della made up
stories and characters, many
based on her mother’s
recollections of growing up
in North Carolina during the
1920’s, 1930’s, and 1940’s.
Wells used these stories to
escape the madness of her
mother’s mental illness and
father’s rage. Eventually, she
used her parents to inspire
the collage art she creates
today. In 2010, a play about
her life was written for a
performance at The Kennedy
Center in Washington, D.C.
Her work was also included
as an illustration for a book
being published by National
Geographic. Wells’ work
is exhibited in Europe and
throughout the United
States in folk art and outsider
galleries from coast to coast.