Much-loved artist dies at 101 – with paint on his hands
ARTIST Charles Byrd has died aged 101.
The painter and sculptor, whose works have been exhibited throughout Wales and the UK, worked almost until his final breath.
“He was painting the morning he died,” his sister, Barbara Collins, said.
“We got to the hospital and his hands were covered in blue paint so he was painting as he was slipping away.
“He was painting in his mind as he lay in his hospital bed. Every so often his hand would go up as though he had a paintbrush in his hand.”
The 89-year-old was proud of the body of work her older brother left behind, saying: “He has left an amazing legacy for Cardiff.”
“He didn’t actually speak when we got to the hospital. He tried to say something but we could not understand but he turned his head and he smiled. I said, ‘Are you still painting?’ And he nodded.”
At the time of his death he was living in a flat in Llandaff Road surrounded by paintings and sculptures made from bottle tops, dominoes and Jenga pieces.
“The family always called him Philip because his name was Philip Charles,” Barbara said.
“He was painting right up until the last. How many people get to 101 and are still doing what they love?”
Charles’ niece Bev Hampson, remembered him being “a very big figure” during her childhood.
“We would go to see him at Brunswick Street, he would always be there” the 60-year-old said.
Bev liked his later sculptures but thought his Cardiff paintings were “absolutely the highlight of his work”.
These show a city long since vanished, of the industry of Tiger Bay and men fishing in the Glamorganshire canal.
Born in Mound Road, Maesycoed, on Saturday, December 3, 1916, Charles spent the first 10 years of his life in Pontypridd.
In 1926 his family moved, first to Barry and then to Cardiff. At 14 Charles found work with the General Electric Company as a despatch clerk.
In 1937 he joined the Bristol Aircraft Company as a fitter and during World War II he repaired Hurricanes and Blenheim bombers. Charles saw military service in India, not returning to Cardiff until 1947.
He did not begin to follow his interest in art until he was 32. He began taking evening classes at Cardiff College of Art before becoming a professional artist.
Dave Gwyer, assistant curator at Pontypridd museum, who put on a Charles Byrd At 100 exhibition in 2016, said: “His work makes you feel good and it makes you feel younger.
“Art sometimes takes itself too seriously but he obviously had a sense of humour.”