Art criticism In her writing as a dance critic for the
Richmond Times-Dispatch, Wessells reviewed many
dance troupes and star performers, such as Lorry May of the Sokolow Dance Foundation. For 25 years she was the dance critic for the
Richmond Times-Dispatch. In 2003, Wessells and Robbie Kinter performed for students of
geriatric medicine in the medical school of
St. Louis University. Dancer Chris Burnside, who taught at
University of California, Los Angeles and served as Chair of the Department of Dance and Choreography and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs in the
VCU School of the Arts, began his career studying and dancing with Wessells at VCU. In 2016, at its annual Artsie Awards gala at
Virginia Repertory Theatre's
November Theatre, with local acting/singing star Desirée Roots hosting, the Richmond Theater Critics Circle awarded Wessells the
Liz Marks Memorial Award for Ongoing Contribution to Richmond Area Theater for her significant long-term contributions to the Richmond Art Community as a VCU professor of dance performance, choreography, and history. Wessells received the award along with
Marie Goodman Hunter, an "African-American actor, singer and educator who helped break down racial barriers in teaching and performance in central Virginia."
Dance performer One of Wessells's earliest teachers was
Hanya Holm. 2016 production of
The Legend of the Poinsettia. Her nomination for an Artsie award was announced in 2016 by the
Richmond Times-Dispatch. Many of her performances have been demonstrations of the healthful importance of agility and strength gained from dancing at any age. She has frequently performed with Robbie Kinter. Wessells and Kinter performed
Marda in 2008 at the
Carpenter Center in Richmond, and, in 2012, they participated together in the
10th Annual Richmond Choreographers Showcase produced by Starr Foster Dance Project at the Grace Street Theatre in Richmond. Kinter choreographed
Them, which was performed with Wessells at the Choreographers Showcase at the
Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, University of Maryland. Wessells performed in March 2011 at Paris'
Théâtre National de Chaillot. Jason Akira Somma, her 31-year-old dance partner, confirmed that the last of her three performances in Paris brought the audience to tears.
Exhibitions Wessells was a member of Artspace in
Richmond, Virginia and an exhibitor at art6. She showed glass works in
ThinkSmall3 sponsored by
Artspace and art6. In 2001, she exhibited stone and clay sculpture at Artspace. In 2005, she participated in
Fluxus/Redux at art6. She was a model for a Susan Singer show of female nudes
Not Barbie: A Celebration of Real Women, which represented stories of "birth, aging, pregnancy, middle age, scars, body modifications, and many other topics." ==Personal life and death==