This is the first time in 34 years that Terry Shaul’s paintings have been on public display. His work was last exhibited in Manchester in the autumn of 1991; he died before the exhibition opened.
Shaul lived a life of impoverishment, insecurity, and isolation and although his paintings gained some recognition they did not provide him with a steady income. Instead, he painted to escape from reality, finding solace, indulging his sense of humour, and revealing a childlike spirit in the images he produced on any surface he could find.
He left behind a huge body of work, which has been brought together in this exhibition thanks to Terry’s neighbours and friends, revealing an undiscovered artist who fell between the cracks in society.
Terry Shaul lived a life marked by isolation, eccentricity, and an unbreakable bond with his cat, Tibby. Without any formal artistic training, Shaul developed a style that defied conventional representation. His paintings are often described as ‘naïve’ for their bright, non-naturalistic colours and simplified forms, conveying a childlike, dreamlike world. However, spend enough time with his work and you might begin to challenge this definition. There is a complexity and depth to his work, often captured in the eyes of his subjects, that portrays an artist with great substance.
His works, painted on whatever surface he could find, served as an escape from a reality he found unwelcoming. He escaped not by painting whimsical dream-like worlds, but by painting what he understood and what lay in front of him. Shaul’s distinct humour and solitude fills his work, as he explored themes of simplicity, isolation, and the passage of time.
Despite his eccentricities, his life was deeply poignant, evidenced in his growing obsession with age and mortality. By surrounding himself with personal vignettes, murals, wall drawings, and depictions of ordinary, long-lasting items, Shaul found solace and continuity in his art. His last years were spent in isolation and ended with a sudden death at home, where he lay undiscovered for days. His art lives on, its stillness capturing the quietude of his life.
To find out more, visit www.terryshaul.com
Biography
Terry Shaul (1929–1991) was born in Lewisham, South London to Winifred and Herbert Shaul. At the age of three, he and his brother were sent to boarding school as their parents moved to West Africa. His early life was marked by limited family connections, and he rarely spoke about his upbringing.
Shaul attended Dulwich College but left at the age of 15 or 16 without qualifications. He worked various jobs, including postman, waiter, farm labourer, street lamp lighter and dustman. At 18, he was conscripted into the RAF and served for two years, stationed in Staffordshire and later Germany.
In 1953 Shaul moved to Cornwall, where he pursued work as a film extra and began his interest in art. He married Elizabeth, with whom he had two children, but their relationship ended a few years later. After their separation, Shaul was estranged from his children, a loss that he described as a defining trauma: “I have cried real tears… when I realised I would probably never see my two children again.”
Shaul lived in Cornwall, often in precarious conditions. He resided in a disused chapel in Idless near Truro and later a slaughterhouse in Madron, where he struggled to maintain stability. He was evicted multiple times due to living in unsuitable premises. In 1969 his mother helped him purchase a cottage in Barripper, near Camborne where he spent the rest of his life.
He maintained a correspondence with his lifelong friend, Ron Dellar, throughout his life. In his final letter, dated July 29, 1991, Shaul wrote: “Talk about bloody chaos, but I don’t care anymore, thank God!” He died around August 10, 1991, in his home, reportedly from coronary atheroma.
Shaul is buried in Camborne Cemetery, where the wooden cross, which marks his grave, reads “The Oldest Man in the World,” a phrase he often used to describe himself.
