Terry Whybrown was born in St Pancras, London where he trained and worked as a furniture designer for many years before moving to Cornwall in 1980 with his wife the art historian and novelist Marion. He then took up painting full-time and was heavily influenced by the St Ives abstract movement of the mid-twentieth century.

His work travelled through figuration, abstraction and back; he felt that when living in London his 'paintings were hard edged abstractions of urban life,' but since coming to Cornwall 'all previous ideas and influences were overshadowed by the strength and textures of Cornwall'.

Terry was widely exhibited and he found commercial success as the shapes and forms of his early work gradually developed into the fruit and bowls of the meticulous still-lives for which he became well known.

His paintings are held in private collections around the globe, and in Cornwall. Falmouth Art Gallery also holds his work in their public collection.