Ivan Wilson, a native of Hazel, Kentucky, came to Western in 1920 and served 25 years was the first head for the Department of Art. He was employed by Western for a total of four decades. Some of his works have been shown in New York, New Orleans, Kansas City, and even Paris. He retired in 1958. He received his Bachelors from Western and got his Master's from George Peabody College.

The Ivan Wilson Center for Fine Arts at WKU is named for him