David Wilde was born in Manchester in 1918 as Norman Shacklock. He disliked his name and adopted the pseudonym David Wilde – David from his close friend David White and Wilde because that best described him.

He studied at the Manchester College of Art. He was originally employed to draw the female anatomy for surgeons at the local hospitals and illustrated a medical textbook on birth.

Later, he illustrated a series of erotic books and short stories and was featured along side Picasso and Dali, exhibiting in Paris.

During the war he served as a draughtsman at the rank of Petty Officer and later became a freelance artist and designer for large national companies.

He worked for 9 years as senior technical artist at Carlton Press. During this time he became acquainted with Lowrie and Peter Blake.

After a short illness David Wilde (Norman Shacklock) died in hospital in 1978. He left behind a fine body of work covering the industrial north, particularly Salford and Irlam, magnificent scenes of his beloved Wales, erotic drawings, poetry, and collages of his infatuation with Marilyn Monroe.

Source: http://www.watergatestreetgallery.co.uk/artist/11812/David_Wilde