Edward 'Ted' Wesson was born in Blackheath, London and drew much of his early inspiration from the tidal waters of the River Thames; in particular the spritsail barges that later became one of his favourite subjects.
He was almost entirely self-taught and experimented first with watercolour, particularly enjoying the rapid technique of the medium. Painting in oils came later to him, partly thanks to the guidance of Ascanio Tealdi, an Italian painter he met almost by accident during World War II.
After the war Ted joined the family firm but continued to paint whenever and wherever he could with great success. By 1952 he was a full member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, becoming one of their most consistent exhibitors and a later an important member of the Council. He also began to exhibit regularly with the Royal Society of Marine Artists and the Royal Society of British Artists.
In addition to his marine subjects he painted landscapes, river scenes and delicate flowerpieces, the latter usually featuring a simple construct of roses in a jam jar. He painted with panache and a confidence of someone totally in control of, and at one with, the unforgiving medium of watercolour.
A purist in terms of technique he rarely if ever deviated from the simple combination of water and paint and at times could be quite disparaging of those who experimented by incorporating other mediums into their work.