VESSEY, Andrew John

1945 - ?

Andrew John Vessey was born at Edmonton, London in July 1945, son of Norman Stanley Maslen Vessey (17 March 1914-6 August 1996), a wholesale food buyer, and his wife Frances Grace née Bompas (1915-2012), who married at Hendon, Middlesex in 1941. Andrew attended St Alban's School before studying Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art and trained as a teacher at Bishop Otter College, Chichester 1964-1967. His teaching career focused on teaching Art and Art History in secondary schools both in the UK and abroad, including at Bury St Edmund's, Suffolk and combined music, drama, and pastoral responsibilities. For two years he worked as Arts Officer in the Poole Arts Centre, Dorset, now the Lighthouse, running the galleries, concert programmes and residencies. In 1986 he was ordained into the Church of England ministering in a variety of posts, including a curacy at Framlingham, Suffolk 1986-1989 later taking in a wider sphere of Worcester Diocesan life, during which time his painting and drawing became restricted by work, but he managed to exhibit regularly and organise Arts Festivals for the Church and local community. His last post before retirement was as Team Rector of Central Swansea, Church in Wales and was based at the Collegiate and Civic Church of St Mary. On retirement he returned to Suffolk, full of family connections and holiday homes, based around Southwold. His work consists of familiar river valleys and coastal estuaries, captured in ink, watercolour, and pastel, directly on location converting some ideas into larger more reflective paintings in gouache and oil in his studio at The Laurels, Fressingfield, Suffolk some of which resonate with themes that appear in scripture and biblical story. Besides his painting Andrew is also in choral and classical music, singing as a member of the Phoenix Choir in Framlingham and has regularly written poetry. A former member of Harleston and Waveney Art Trail, with whom he exhibited and at other regional and local galleries and of Suffolk Open Studios network.

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Works by This Artist