Brief info
Sylvester Wells was one of ten children and he was born in Jacksonville, Florida. In 1938, Wells' father drove trucks and his mother stayed at home. They were very religious and taught Wells to always prioritize faith. This lesson has stuck with him his whole life.
Wells liked art from a young age and he enjoyed sketching and drawing when he was young. After he finished high school, he spent some time in the Army and then came back home to Cocoa, Florida, with his wife.
Sylvester Wells, a Florida Highwaymen painter, said he had never been to Fort Pierce, Florida, which is uncommon for someone in his profession. He first met Alfred Hair, who is considered the leader of the Fort Pierce group, when he was 25 years old. Hair was selling his paintings at a local bank in Cocoa, and he talked to Wells about his artwork and how he sold it. Another group of painters also formed around Harold Newton in Gifford, Florida.