Denys Robert Charles Short 

Denys Short (1927-present) is a sculptor and painter for his visceral depictions of industrial landscapes and streets of South Wales. 

He was born in Bideford, Devon, in 1928 and served in the armed forces before pursuing an art career (Lord, No date). He studied at Goldsmiths' College School of Art, between 1948–53 where he completed a National Design Award DD in sculpture (Elliott, 2022). Short completed a National Design Award DD in sculpture at Goldsmiths' College School of Art between 1948-1953, where he met and married Eirian J Thomas, also an artist (Elliott, 2022). Short later taught part-time at Goldsmiths' and later at the Hornsey College of Art. (Elliott, 2022). 

Short won a gold medal at the Royal National Eisteddfod in 1958 for his painting "Terrace in Maesteg" and showcased works at John Moores University (Valleys of Vision 2017). 

In 1961, Short's house was burgled; the thieves took jewellery and a pen knife but ignored his paintings. His paintings and materials remained untouched, leading Short to remark, 'The intruders were probably amateurs, for they missed articles more valuable than those they did take'. 

From the 15th of September to the 12th of October 1972, Short exhibited at the South London Art Gallery alongside his wife, Eirian Short, Sally Scott, and Barrie Scott (Quad at the South, 2021). 

From the 4th April-6th May 1973, Short staged five sculptures on the Serpentine Galleries lawn, including Silicosis II, Resurrection and Hafan (Denys short, 2020). In his sculptures, he had "…used the front doors and parlour windows of the terrace houses in the mining villages of South Wales to comment on some aspects of life in the valleys. With some, coal, and coal dust overwhelm the house. The aluminium and steel pieces are rewards for housewives who spend their lives attempting to keep their homes bright and spotless" (Denys short, 2020). 

In 1985, Short retired from teaching at Hornsey College of Art and settled in Pembrokeshire, where he continued to sculpt (Valleys of Vision 2017). However, in 2005, he shifted his focus to painting, particularly paintings with a "quilt-like essence". 

Speaking at the Fishguard's Art Society Summer Sculpture Exhibition in Dan y Garn, Dinas, at the end of August 2006, he stated, '…I love quilts and have done them since I photographed them to illustrate my wife Eirian's first book in 1967. I get far more satisfaction looking at fine quilts than from looking at the most highly praised pieces of abstract Fine Art… Last year, tiring of the problems inherent in making and transporting large pieces of sculpture I decided to return to painting, to enjoy colour more thoroughly and to see if I could produce some things quilt-like in their essentials but carried out in paint" (Eirian and Denys Short No date). 

His paintings are held by the National Museum Wales, the National Library of Wales and Goldsmiths in London, amongst others. 

Denys Short is an important artist known for his honest depictions of industries and communities in South Wales, offering a unique insight into their lives and landscapes. 

References: 

Denys short (2020) Serpentine Galleries. Serpentine Galleries. Available at: https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/whats-on/denys-short/ (Accessed: March 28, 2023). 

Eirian and Denys Short (no date) Fishguard Arts Society. Fishguard Arts Society. Available at: https://www.fishguardartssociety.org.uk/es/Eirian-and-Denys-Short (Accessed: March 28, 2023). 

Elliott, A. (2022) “Women's Archive Wales,” March. 

Lord, P. (no date) Interview with Denys and Eirian Short, British Library. British Library. Available at: https://sounds.bl.uk/sounds/interview-with-denys-and-eirian-short-by-peter-lord-1001038494990x000005 (Accessed: March 28, 2023). 

Quad at the South London Art Gallery: Eirian Short, Sally Scott, Denys short, Barrie Scott - South London Gallery archive (2021) Archive South London Gallery. South London Art Gallery. Available at: https://slgarchive.org/index.php/quad-at-the-south-london-art-gallery-eirian-short-sally-scott-denys-short-barrie-scott (Accessed: March 28, 2023). 

South London Observer (1961) “Lucky these intruders weren't art-haters,” 26 October, p. 1. 

Wolfson College Cambridge (2017) Valleys of Vision. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Written by Daniel Shepard