Andrew Lue-Shue

Born in Trinidad in1954, I am the eldest of five siblings. I attended San Fernando Boy's RC school and Presentation College in San Fernando. In 1976 I left Trinidad to pursue my studies in Montreal where I obtained a BFA in Art Education from Concordia University. I was then accepted in the Theatre Design program at the National Theatre School of Canada. After graduation, I worked as a set and costume designer in the 80’s and 90’s. I also designed costumes for carnivals in Trinidad, Montreal, and Toronto. Unforeseen circumstances provoked a career change in 2000, and I returned to studies in Psychosocial Intervention at the Université du Québec à Montréal while also working at an organisation offering mental health services. My last job there before retirement in 2018 was at the day centre where I organised creative arts and personal growth workshops. I have been a vegetarian for thirty years and maintain a daily meditation practice. I continue my artistic expression through traditional and digital art media. I also began researching my family tree and created a website and blog to share both my research and my art. It was my genealogical research that led me to Father Tam, a school friend of my dad, a distant cousin, and my inspiration.