The Lost Works of Terry Shaul
5 April – 21 June 2025
Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery, Truro
The first time his paintings had been seen in public for thirty-four years.
Background to this exhibition
Reuben Harris, exhibition curator
All my life I have been surrounded by the work of Terry Shaul. I never met Terry, as he died four years before I was born, but following his sudden death in 1991, my grandparents, Rosalind and Rik Evans, became custodians of his paintings.
My grandparents knew Terry from the time he arrived at Idless near Truro in the 1960s. He became a fixture in their lives, painting murals for them in their houses and paying them regular visits, often to coincide with a trip to a Truro pub. For over twenty years they maintained a friendship with Terry, often through letters — some of which feature in this exhibition.
Last year, while on a trip back to Cornwall I started looking through and photographing Terry’s work in our basement. One by one, as I took Terry’s work out of storage and into the sunlight, I was astonished by the vibrancy of the colours and subjects that jumped out at me, and the idea for this exhibition was born. Thirty-four years after his work was last seen publicly, I am very happy to be able to bring some of his work out of the darkness and into the museum, so that others can get a glimpse of this undiscovered artist.
I’d like to thank everyone that helped me construct this story of Terry’s life. My mother Taryn has been a constant source of knowledge and inspiration, and this exhibition would not be here without her help. I’m grateful to the Museum for allowing Terry’s work to finally be exhibited in Cornwall, the place where he made his home.
Photographs © Sea Rocket, May 2025.
The visitors’ book
Left by people who came to see the work, April to June 2025.
“Lovely to see the work of Terry! Great Exhibition!”
“Such joyous exuberant colour, Love it!”
“What a fantastic exhibition… I’m sure Terry would be overjoyed — what a story and character.”
“Thank you for sharing Terry’s artwork, he is an artist I am not familiar with but I have instantly fallen in love with his work.”
“Dorothy loved the cat painting, she said ‘aww that’s a cute cat’.”
“What a guy! Life’s difficulties couldn’t keep him down, He kept keeping on.”
“I loved Terry Shaul’s art work because it is simple but detailed and beautiful.”
“Vibrant and full of joy, possibly not reflecting how Terry often felt.”
“Loved the cat and flowers, I drew the flowers, but I didn’t draw it as good as you did.”
“Yes, well done for sharing his work, been twice to see it and really like it. This man should have been seen and appreciated in his life more.”
“It was wonderful to see Terry’s work again after it was exhibited in my bar in Manchester 1991. I couldn’t pass up the chance to come down to Truro and marvel at his uniqueness again. He really was a talent.”
“Seeing this exhibition has been a real pleasure and delight. What a legacy and such a kindness and a tribute from those who kept, treasured and shared Terry’s work.”
“A quite fantastic exhibition about a quite fantastic artist.”
“Wonderful exhibition. So much colour. Such a shame this work was unappreciated during his life.”