Frank Wesley was born on the 12th of Dec 1923 in the North Indian village of Azamgarh. In 1943, when Frank was 19 years old, he joined the Government School of Arts and Craft in Luchnow, where he chose commercial art over fine arts. Around this time, after contracting typhoid fever he lost most of his hearing. Winning a government scholarship in 1943 and receiving a scholarship from the Christian Home Committee of the National Christian Council of India in 1947, set him on a path of religous art. He became one of the best known artists in India, due to his commercial work being produced in the Christian Home Committee magazine. These were often framed and hung in many Christian Indian homes. When he did participate with other students in state and national exhibitions, he was always successful. The first card produced by UNICEF in 1947, was Frank's, Blue Madonna.

In 1948 when Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated,the Government held a competition to find a design to be used on the urns to hold his ashes for the major immersion held in Allahabad at the confluence of the Ganges and Jumna rivers. Franks designs were chosen and he was also invited to be one of the barges which took the urns to the Prayag for immersion.
         

Under the guidance of Bireshwar Sen, Frank aquired the best of the Lucknow Watercolour and Bengal Renaissance tradition of painting, Frank Wesley was such a faithful disciple, that he did not put him own signature to his work until after the death of his master teacher, who passed away in 1973 at the age of 85 years. Frank considering all he did should to be attributed to his teacher. He also said of this time in his life, "They were the happiest of my 18 years of art study around the world"

This layered transparent watercolour technique, a style discontinued by most because of the technical demands, time and patience required. Frank always had both and went on to make this style- his. To achieve the glazed effect and glow from within the paintings. Each painting can have up to 30 coats of paint, requiring the very best of papers to withstand the immersion in water, egg tempera and gouache needed for this demanding technique.



                     

In 1950, five of his works were exhibited at the Vatican. Three of his works are now part of the Vatican collection. In 1954 when Frank was offered a generous scholarship, it was his master Sen who challenged him to go to Japan to study by saying "you learn more from what is the opposite". In all Frank spent 18 years mastering his craft and studying.

In mid 1958 after spending 3 months in New York, he enrolled in a graduate course at the University of Chicago. Returning to India in 1960. Toward the end of his Fine Arts studies which stretched over many year, Frank was drawn to paint on the finest Assam silks. One of Franks early works on silk Son of Hagar.

..and she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.- Genesis 21:14. In Franks hand the feeling of Alienation can be felt while viewing this painting below.

Son of Hagar

Frank Wesley and I meet in 1975, me sitting on the pavement painting on a board, in a fence painting competition. Frank who had emigrated to Australia in 1973 now living in Nambour on the Sunshine Coast- was the judge. He stood behind me and before I ever saw him, I heard just one word, Hummmmmm!

I won the competition, as did one of my two children seen painting beside me. Frank then asked if I would like to visit his home, a very modest place on the hill which took my breath away- walls covered in his powerful, yet delicate paintings, unlike anything I had ever seen before.

He said I painted like a watercolourist, when I used oils and asked if I would like to paint with him, I think you can guess what I said. Who says sitting in the gutter can't get you anywhere? A few of my artist friends, thought a fence painting compertition was a bit beneath their talents! silly them!

For a year, I had the pleasure of painting with Frank at his home

While he taught me the technique of this style of watercolour, it was his words of wisdom, that have stayed with me, I learn many life lessons, he was my Guru.

At this time I was busy looking after my husband,raising a young family of three sons, working on my oil paintings and sculptures from my studio at home and involved in the art scene on the Sunshine Coast, but I looked forward very much to my time each week spent with Frank.

I don't think I realised the full extent of the influence he was having on me at that stage, it is now more then ever, I see his imfluence in what I am doing at the moment.

Frank is a great humanitian, a fifth generation Christian with strong Hindu and Muslim roots, with an understanding and tolerance of all cultures and religions. His calmness even when confronted with local rasism, taught me then, that there are other ways

Our families became friends, he was very fond of my husband Brian. Frank being quite deaf, while him and I had conversations, many using short sentences, easier for him to understand and maybe the reason, I as people say, can paint a picture in a line of a poem. With Brian's very deep radio quality voice, him and Frank could talk for ages on different subjects to art, Brian helped him, when he built his small studio with perfect natural light in the Wesley backyard.

Frank and I always had a special bond, he seen in me a quality he helped and encouraged, I thank him for that and while I haven't seen as much of him over the years with my moving around. His influence like that of other great mentors, lives within me.

One of the biggest events for me with Frank, was the day he presented me with his large leather art folder, the one that carried his prized sheets of waterclour paper and finished artworks, the one he used when he first went to the USA. Still with his New York street address inside. I don't need to tell you how that made me feel, as an artist or as a person- or how I felt when it was stolen years later along with all the beautiful miniatures of Franks, work Brian and I treasured.

Three large Frank Wesley, works which thankfully were not stored with everything else, now hang on the walls of each of my three children's homes.

As for the art folder, miniatures, Frank and Brian they are all etched on my heart.

No one can ever take away or destroy your memories.

I never did go on with watercolours and gave away oils and sculpture when I decided to work to help, indigenous artists from 1987. Frank understood more then others, my need to work to improve conditions for indigenous people, and why I gave up so much to help save one person from certain death.

Frank was also the first person to praise me for my poetry, when he said in 1982, he could taste the juice in my first poem. "Where are the People"

Frank Wesley told me a long time ago, the two best bits of advice he could give me were.