Coke Wisdom O'Neal was born on the Upper West Side of Manhattan where he still lives with his 6-year-old son Mercury, a budding sculptor. He has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions around the country. His work is in several prestigious collections including the West Family Collection and the Progressive Art Collection. In the summer of 2006, he received a grant from Socrates Sculpture Park, in Long Island City, New York, where he constructed a 24' x 18' box. This project is currently being reconstructed for the future museum of Santa Elena, Texas where Coke has been commissioned to document the denizens of that town.