RESURRECTION RICHES

He began studying at the government school of Arts and Crafts in Lucknow continuing to postgraduate study, later joining the teaching staff.

With the aid of an American patron, Wesley continued his art education at Kyoto Art University from 1954 to 1958, where he learned traditional and modern Japanese painting techniques, lacquer work, textile design, woodblock printing, and ink drawing, and in Chicago from 1958 to 1960, which included coursework at the Art Institute, where he learned about modern abstraction and how to work with oil paint.

Wesley returned to Indiain 1960 and, after a four-year courtship, married Athalie Brown, an Australian nurse working in a mission hospital in Azamgarh. They had two children. Seeking better opportunities, he emigrated to Australia with his family in 1973 and lived there until his death in 2002. Even in his new adopted country, he continued painting biblical scenes in an Indian style.

His work has been internationally recognized. He designed the urn for Mahatma Ghandhi's ashes.  Five of his paintings were included in the 1950 Holy Year Exhibition at the Vatican.  "The Blue Madonna" was used as the first UNICEF Christmas card.