Dolores Louise Wells

Dolores Louise Little Gray Wells, a loving wife, caring mother, devoted grandmother, loyal friend, celebrated artist, and visionary craftsperson, passed away on August 24, 2026. Her creative spirit graced the world for 79 years, leaving behind a profound legacy of love, beauty, and craftsmanship. Residing in White Pine, Tennessee, Dolores was a woman of immense talent and dedication, known for breathing life into paint, enamel, wood, cornhusk, and metal.

For 46 years, Dolores shared a remarkable personal and professional journey with her husband, Robert "Bob" Wells. Together, they worked as artists and sculptors, specializing in a diverse range of media. Their portfolio included everything from intricate kinetic art and sculptures to the large-scale metal hanging wall art for which they became renowned. They combined their skills to design, create, and finish each original piece, hoping owners would enjoy it as much as they enjoyed creating it.

Born on October 23, 1946, in Florence, South Carolina, Dolores was preceded in death by her parents, Margaret Louise Wilder Little and James Little. She was proud of her Carolina roots. She was raised in Clayton, North Carolina, and graduated as valedictorian from Clayton High School in the Class of 1965; she later earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1969, where she was a member of the Alpha Rho Tau civic art association and the Astrotekton Society. Her education and upbringing in the South provided the foundation for a life defined by creative expression and love of family.

A member of numerous prestigious craft organizations, including the Foothills Craft Guild, Southern Highland Craft Guild, The Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi, and the Tennessee Association of Craft Artists, Dolores was a respected figure in the regional artisan community.

Together, their work and warm presence were fixtures in the Southeastern and Midwestern craft communities for decades. They were familiar exhibitors across regional fine craft markets, including the Tennessee Craft Fair in Nashville, the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands in Asheville, and the Dogwood Arts Festival and Foothills Craft Guild Show in Knoxville. Their work reached collectors through the Pink Palace Crafts Fair in Memphis, the Berea Craft Festival, Gum Tree Festival in Tupelo, White Oak Crafts Fair in Woodbury, Tennessee, the Fairhope Alabama Arts & Crafts Festival, and Art in Speed Park in Sellersburg, Indiana, leaving an indelible mark on the region’s cultural heritage. Their shared business and artistic excellence earned them widespread acclaim over the years, marked by repeated Best in Show honors, frequent Exhibitor’s Choice selections, and top awards for Excellence in Fine Crafts.

Dolores’s life was enriched by her loving family. She is survived by her devoted husband of 46 years, Robert Carl Wells; her children, Jason Erik Gray (Stacy) and Tobi Gray Weldon Copeland (J.B.); her stepchild, Dr. Susan Wells Isaac Daniel (Eric); and her brother, James Larkin Little (Ruby). Her legacy of love continues through her grandchildren, Rigby Wilder Gray, Lucy Clare Gray, and Ivey Mariposa Weldon; her nieces, Deborah Little Overton and Laurie Little Prescott McPhillips; and many extended family members.

Dolores will also be fondly remembered by her dear neighbors and close friends; close family friend Charlie Akin; her first husband, Astor Holmes Gray III (Betty); her children's friends, whom she embraced and loved through their childhood, college years, and into their adult lives; and the countless collectors and fellow artisans within the community who shared in her vibrant journey.

Dolores will be cherished not only for the profound family legacy she leaves behind and the art that adorns countless homes across the country, but for the love, warmth, passion, and creative fire she brought to every piece she helped create and every life she touched.

Following her wishes for cremation, the family will hold a private gathering for a celebration of her life and art at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Dolores Gray Wells to the Foothills Craft Guild at https://www.foothillscraftguild.net/donate

Arrangements by Farrar Funeral Home in Jefferson City, TN