Terry McDonald was born 27th May 1930, died 4th December 2022.
Terry was a Sculptor who worked in different mediums: stone, wood, clay, fibre plaster, resin, polystyrene and the combined medium of engraved brass and stone.
He worked on a range of commissions including restoration work on several Liverpool churches; St Nicholas’ Church, Mossley Hill Church and Walton Church. He undertook projects for Liverpool Cathedral, National Museums and Galleries with Merseyside Conservation Department. He designed the Coat of Arms for Liverpool University Lecture Theatre, and produced two clay models entitled ‘Mother and Child’ for both Liverpool and Birmingham Women’s Hospitals.
He worked with H. Tyson Smith as Technical Assistant for 10 years after which he worked in Lewis's Department store in the Display studio for many years, where he repaired the display models and made many items for the window displays, most memorable were his beautiful plaster columns and urns, also 5-foot-high elephants for each window made out of Fibre Glass.
While at Lewis's, he helped the Sculptor Jacob Epstein erect the statue outside Lewis's building 1956 (still there, fondly called 'Dickie Lewis'). Epstein was so impressed with Terry's work he asked him to come and work in his studio in London. Terry declined, a decision he often regretted in later life.
Terry was delighted to receive a commission from the Pope for a life size model of St Maria Goretti, a Catholic Martyr, a very beautiful piece of work, which is situated in the Vatican gardens in Rome.
Terry joined Liver Sketching Club in about 1976, and was a great inspiration to everyone especially young students interested in sculpture. He was a class leader for many years. He started a Saturday morning class at the Bluecoat for sculpting in clay which carried on for many years, nurturing many young sculptors still working now in stonemasons' yards etc., carrying on with the skills passed on by Terry.
He was elected to be the President of the Liver Sketching Club in 1989 and 1990. Terry had a dog (a poodle called Peko) who he brought to the studio with him for many years. Peko would sit on the dias with the life model.
In 2022, one of Terry's artworks, a plaque honouring club secretary, J. M. Moorhouse was featured in the Liver Sketching Club's final exhibition of it's 150th anniversary year, held at the Williamson Gallery in Birkenhead. The exhibition showcased the finest collection of historic club artworks available. One of Terry's students, Kathy Dereli, was commissioned to produce an honorary plaque for the outgoing honoured club secretary, David Brown, directly inspired by Terry's plaque featured in that exhibition, continuing the enduring influence of Terry's teaching and artworks.
When he was about 40 Terry married Wendy, a solicitors secretary. They had two children, Christopher and Kate, followed by grandchildren.
All of Terry's friends at Liver Sketching Club send their sincere condolences to Terry's family, friends and former students. We were privileged to have him as a member and he will not be forgotten.
