Audrey Dear Hesson

Audrey Dear Hesson (born 1929 in Halifax, Nova Scotia)[1] is a Canadian practical craft artist, mainly working with pottery, sculpture, jewelry and textile. Hesson is a member of the Canadian Women Artists History Initiative and the first black Canadian graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art.[1] Hesson is the only living artist featured in the exhibition curated by David Woods called Discovery: African Nova Scotian Art Pioneers.[2]

Early life

Audrey Dear Hesson was born and grew up in Halifax's north end. In grade nine, Hesson was encouraged to pursue art by her art teacher, Bedford artist Elizabeth Tolson. Tolson submitted Hesson's early art work for the high school art classes at the Nova Scotia College of Art.[3]

Studies

After graduating from Queen Elizabeth High School, she studied at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design from 1947-1951. Hesson majored in crafts and was part of the first graduating class in the college's new Art Education Program, which prepared Hesson to be a professional artist. In 1951, Hesson became the first black graduate of the Nova Scotia College Art and Design.[3]

Later life

In 1957, Hesson and her husband (who was in the navy) planned to have their first child. Hesson decided to put her art career on hold to be a housewife. In 1988 her art was rediscovered by curator David Woods.[2]

Work

Hesson works in jewelry, metalwork, woodcarving and pottery. When she was a student in college, Hesson made her first art work, commissioned to make a grey Moroccan leather case to be presented to Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh upon their visit to HMCS Ontario.[1]

Hesson mainly worked with jewelry and textile, but more focus on leather crafting and sculpture. Her work represents a wide array of craft-based works.[4]

African Art Pioneers

The Evergreen House museum in Dartmouth hosted an exhibit called African Maritime Art Pioneers, curated by David Woods. Audrey Dear Hesson is one of the artists highlighted in the exhibit.[5] David Woods said that "Hesson's work has been exhibited in the past, but never with the other trailblazers of African Maritime arts."[2]

Legacy

Audrey Dear Hesson's work is exhibited along with other notable African-Maritime artists such as Edward Mitchell Bannister and Edith MacDonald-Brown.[4]

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References
  1. "Canadian Women Artists History Initiative : Artist Database : Artists : DEAR-HESSON, Audrey". cwahi.concordia.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  2. "A trailblazer for African Nova Scotia Art speaks | The Chronicle Herald". thechronicleherald.ca. 2014-04-14. Archived from the original on 2018-03-26. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  3. "Hesson shattered racial barriers as NSCAD grad". The Chronicle Herald. 2014-04-14. Archived from the original on 2018-03-26. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  4. "In This Place: The lasting impact of Nova Scotia's first exhibition of Black artists' work – visual arts news". visualartsnews.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  5. Gerges, Merray. Major Feature. beckaviau.com.
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