Edward Wesson was a British painter. He was born in Blackeath, London in 1910, the commerce and activity of the River Thames in his native London providing much of his early inspiration. Wesson was largely self-taught, developing his effective and rapid watercolour technique through personal experimentation. Whilst stationed in Sicily and mainland Italy during World War II Wesson was introduced to painting in oils and within a few short years of returning to England, his oil paintings were accepted by the Royal Academy. His success with the medium encouraged Wesson to promote his watercolour paintings further. A noted demonstrator of his craft, Wesson would often perform to eager audiences armed only with a blank board and a set of watercolours, his paintings coming to life with theatrical movements and entertaining audience interaction. He was an incredibly popular tutor, with his demonstrations and teaching courses frequently oversubscribed. Wesson wrote several instructional articles for The Artist magazine in the 1960s, describing his quick and accomplished painting style with precision.

Though popular with the public, Wesson’s work was also well received critically. In 1952 Wesson became a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour and was later to serve as a member of their Council. An elected member of both the Royal Society of Marine Artists and the Royal Society of British artists, Wesson exhibited regularly throughout his career. The artist died in 1983.