Terry Frost (1915 - 2003) | Cornish Artist & Printmaker

A Formidable 20th Century Abstract Artist

Sir Terry Frost is best known for his bold primary colours, simplicity with spirals, semi circles and squeezed verticals reoccurring throughout his abstract work. You could put 100 abstracts pieces in a gallery and know which one was the Terry Frost instantly such is his unique style.

Born in Leamington Spa (UK) in 1915 Terry Frost did not start painting until he was in his 30’s. Frost served his country World War II eventually joining the commandos and was captured in Crete in 1941 and sent to Stalag 383 in Bavaria and met the painter Adrian Heath.

After the war he joined Birmingham School of Art and after 2 years in St Ives with the support from Heath he gained a place at the Camberwell School of Art in London where he was influenced by the works of, William Coldstream, Ben Nicholson and Victor Pasmore, Victor became a strong advocate of Frosts independent and unique style. Frost had been introduced to Nicholson by Peter Lanyon in 1947 and they continued to stay in touch whilst Frost was at Camberwell.

In the late 1940’s he exhibited with the St Ives Society of Artists and was elected a member of the Penwith Society in 1950, the same year he gained his first studio at No.4 Porthmeor, next door to Ben Nicholson at No.5.

In 1951 he worked as an assistant to Barbara Hepworth and it was there that he met Roger Hilton.

In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s Frost was living back and forth between Leeds, Cornwall and Banbury and teaching at Bath Academy of Art, Coventry Art College, Leeds School of Art and University of Leeds. It was the early 1960’s that saw a large American following grow for Frosts abstract work in the USA, following a solo exhibition by the Bertha Schaefer Gallery in New York in 1960.

In 1974 Frost returned to Cornwall to West Penwith, finding peace outside the noise of the everyday.

In 1992 he was elected a Royal Academician and was knighted in 1998.

In 2003 The Tate St Ives gave an exhibition of Sir Terry Frost works.

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