Ceri Richards

Born 1903 – Died 1971

Born in Dunvant, Wales, Richard trained at Swansea School of Art and the Royal College of Art (1920-27), a long apprenticeship which introduced him to contemporary art as well as fostering his own idiom. From 1927 he worked as a draughtsman in advertising agencies for a decade. He came to prominence by exhibiting at the International Surrealist Exhibition in London (1936), and became a full-time artist on taking up a teaching post at Chelsea Art College, which was offered to him by Henry Moore. Post-war, Richards worked on public commissions at Oxford, Aldeburgh, Derby and Liverpool. His work is frequently concerned with the cycles of nature and links between visual art, poetry (he was close to both Vernon Watkins and Dylan Thomas) and music. He died in London.