Graham Short

After leaving school at the age of 15, Graham Short began a six-year apprenticeship at a stationery engraving company in Birmingham.{{Cite web |title=Pulse-slowing drugs, botox, and working between heartbeats: The extreme life of a 76-year-old micro-engraver |url=https://news.sky.com/story/pulse-slowing-drugs-botox-and-working-between-heartbeats-the-extreme-life-of-a-76-year-old-micro-engraver-12762744 |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=Sky News |language=en}} He learned the art of copper-plate and steel die engraving for the stationery trade, producing embossed letterheads, business cards, and wedding invitations.{{cite news|url=https://www.bing.com/search?q=After+leaving+school+at+the+age+of+15+with+no+qualifications%2C+Graham+Short+signed+up+to+a+six-year+apprenticeship+at+a+stationery+engraving+company+in+Birmingham.+He+learnt+the+art+of+copper-plate+and+steel+die+engraving+for+the+stationery+trade&form=ANNTH1&refig=60E9A08F316049E8879E4D3BA5701AA7&pc=LCTS | title=After leaving school at the age of 15 with no qualifications%2C Graham Short signed up to a six-year apprenticeship at a stationery engraving company in Birmingham. He learnt the art of copper-plate and steel die engraving for the stationery trade }}

After his apprenticeship, Graham started a business in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, creating stationery for banks, royal palaces, and perfume companies.{{Cite web |date=2016-03-25 |title=Inside the studio of the "micro-engraver" who works between heartbeats to keep his hand steady |url=https://qz.com/645382/inside-the-studio-of-the-micro-engraver-who-works-between-heartbeats-to-keep-his-hand-steady |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=Quartz |language=en}} In 1970, he began engraving the Lord's Prayer on the head of a pin, a project that took 40 years, finishing in 2010. This work was displayed at the Art Lounge Gallery in Birmingham's Mailbox shopping complex.{{Cite web |title=Mailbox Birmingham |url=https://mailboxlife.com/ |access-date=2024-09-03 |language=en-US}}

His first Fine Art exhibition at Art Decor Gallery,{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-12403014 |title=Exhibition by man who engraved Lord's Prayer on pinhead |work=BBC News |date=9 February 2011}} Whalley, Lancashire, in 2011, sold out quickly. This was followed by a solo exhibition at the Clarendon Gallery, in Mayfair, London, and another at the Tony Huggins-Haig Galleries, in Kelso, with similar success.{{cite news|url=http://www.bordertelegraph.com/news/13541479.Graham_Short__Kelso_exhibition_sells_out__for_genius_engraver/|title=Graham Short Kelso exhibition sells out for genius engraver|work=Border Telegraph|date=4 August 2013}}

In 2012, his nine-month project Cutting Edge featured the words "Nothing is Impossible" engraved along the sharp edge of a Wilkinson Sword razor blade.{{Cite web |date=10 February 2011 |title=World's smallest engraving on the edge of a razor blade |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8315313/Worlds-smallest-engraving-on-the-edge-of-a-razor-blade.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211102636/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8315313/Worlds-smallest-engraving-on-the-edge-of-a-razor-blade.html |archive-date=2011-02-11}} During the same year, to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, he engraved a minuscule portrait of the Queen on a speck of gold inserted into the eye of a needle.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03g4yd0/p03g4xdj|title = BBC Radio 4 - Saturday Live, Mark Steel, Graham Short's micro-engraving - Portrait of the Queen engraved on a speck of gold in the eye of a needle}}

In 2019, the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) commissioned him to collaborate with the Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage. Armitage's 51-word poem entitled Finishing It was engraved onto a 20mm long and 10mm wide pill. The engraved tablet is displayed permanently in the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery.{{Cite web|url=https://www.icr.ac.uk/news-archive/poet-laureate-s-poem-on-a-pill-cuts-cancer-down-to-size|title=Poet Laureate's 'poem on a pill' cuts cancer down to size - The Institute of Cancer Research, London|website=www.icr.ac.uk}}

In 2020, Short was commissioned to work with Brax La Rue, a watch company. Short's microscopic engraving is the ‘hidden secret’ in the mechanism of one of their timepieces.{{Cite web|url=https://prdistribution.com/news/world-famous-micro-artist-hides-miniature-paw-print-within-brax-la-rue-timepiece.html|title=World famous Micro artist hides miniature paw print within Brax la Rue timepiece|website=prdistribution.com}}

In 2023, in collaboration with The Forces Network, Short engraved the 405 letters of the World War One poem "In Flanders Fields" in the eye of a needle. He engraved the poem onto a microscopic piece of metal, scraped from his grandfather's Coldstream Guards First World War cap badge.{{cite news|url=https://www.forces.net/heritage/remembrance/engraver-microscopic-remembrance-poem-says-it-symbolises-unseen-sacrifices |title=Engraver of microscopic Remembrance poem says it symbolises unseen sacrifices |date=12 November 2023 }}

In August 2024, in the run-up to a global launch in Germany, Short worked with Honor, the Chinese consumer electronics company, to engrave a 166-word message on the side of the new Magic V3 foldable phone. The message, a dig at rival Samsung, can only be seen under a microscope.{{cite news|url=https://business-review.eu/tech/telecom/honor-does-something-one-in-five-europeans-are-not-comfortable-doing-with-apology-to-samsung-owners-267447 |title=HONOR does something one in five Europeans are not comfortable doing, with apology to Samsung owners }}

In November 2012, at 'The Writers Collection' at Clarendon Fine Art Gallery, Mayfair, London, Short unveiled 'Fry's Delight', a piece in collaboration with TV Personality Stephen Fry. This piece was later sold at Sotheby's, in London to raise funds for English PEN,{{cite web|url=https://www.englishpen.org/event/stephen-fry-donates-pen-to-english-pen/|title=Stephen Fry donates pen to English PEN|work=English PEN}} a charity that supports imprisoned writers around the world.{{cite web |title=English PEN |url=https://www.englishpen.org/ |website=English PEN |access-date=17 December 2024}}

In October 2014, the 'Love, Life and Hope Exhibition' was held at Platinum Galleries Northallerton.{{cite web|url=http://www.platinumgalleries.co.uk/new%20events.htm|title=events page with philip gray, doug hyde, fabian perez and henderson cisz|publisher=}} This included the first viewing of 'In Flanders Fields', the First World War poem written by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae.{{cite web |title=In Flanders Fields |url=https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47380/in-flanders-fields |website=Poetry Foundation |access-date=17 December 2024}}

In 2021, 'The Tiniest Art in Town' exhibition opened at the Soden Collection in Shrewsbury.{{cite news|url=https://www.myshrewsbury.co.uk/blog/hof-genius-graham-short/ |title=Hand of Genius I Graham Short Micro-Artist I Shrewsbury }}

As of July 2024, on permanent display is Short's microscopic artwork; 'The smallest portrait in the world of William Shakespeare'. The portrait is engraved on a gold disc inside the eye of a needle and can be seen at the Shakespeare Centre in Stratford on Avon.{{cite news|url=https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/worlds-smallest-portrait-of-shakespeare-goes-on-display-in-stratford-52508/ |title=World's smallest portrait of Shakespeare goes on display in Stratford }}

From 2011 to 2013, Short created 'Five Pillars of Islam' (the foundation of the Islamic faith) as part of the Fusion Collection. This collection of nine calligraphic pieces fuses English and Arabic. The collection was displayed in Birmingham Central Mosque and attracted interest from around the world.{{Cite web |title=Graham Short – Just Masterpieces |url=http://www.justmasterpieces.co.uk/graham-short/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |language=en-US}}

In June 2013, Short was invited by Indian artist Nikki Anand to introduce her 'Euphoria' solo exhibition to the British public for the first time at the Nehru Centre, London.“Euphoria” Global Woman Tour: [http://www.prabashipost.com/e-15-euphoria.aspx#.VvZ8JvEn-je “Euphoria” Global Woman Tour] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326022848/http://www.prabashipost.com/e-15-euphoria.aspx#.VvZ8JvEn-je |date=2016-03-26 }}, accessdate: March 26, 2016

In June 2015, after four months of work, Short completed the engraving of the Khanda,{{cite web|url=http://www.sikhentrepreneur.com/the-khanda-engraved-on-the-point-of-a-needle/|title=The Khanda – Engraved On The Point Of A Needle - Sikh Entrepreneur|work=Sikh Entrepreneur|date=26 June 2015}} on the point of a needle.

In August 2017, the 'Faith Exhibition' was shown in Kelso, Scotland, before touring Britain. Miniature engravings from Sikh, Islamic, Hindi, and Christian religions were displayed. 'Otche Nash', the main prayer of the Russian Orthodox Church - engraved on the head of a gold pin measuring 2mm across, was shown to the public for the first time.{{Cite web |last=Short |first=Graham |date=2019-05-04 |title=Otche Nash - The Lord's Prayer in Russian |url=https://www.graham-short.com/post/otche-nash-the-lord-s-prayer-in-russian |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=Graham Short |language=en}}

In April 2019, the '99 names of Allah' were engraved on the head of a gold pin measuring 2mm across. All 99 names are taken from verses of the Quran to describe Allah's attributes. This was a four-month project.{{Cite web|url=https://themuslimvibe.com/western-muslim-culture/art/micro-artist-creates-smallest-engraving-in-the-world-of-the-99-names-of-allah|title=Micro-artist creates smallest engraving in the world of the 99 names of Allah - TMV|first=T. M. V.|last=Team|date=April 15, 2019}}

In 2022, Short engraved what is believed to be the world's smallest nativity scene in the eye of a needle. This was exhibited at a Nativity Festival at St Laurence Church, Northfield, Birmingham.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-63774581 |title=Tiny Nativity scene in the eye of a needle on display in Birmingham |work=BBC News |date=27 November 2022 }}

In January 2023, he completed The Lord's Prayer, engraved on a speck of gold, and inserted into the eye of a needle.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-64467177 |title=Tiny gold Lord's Prayer engraved in eye of needle by Birmingham artist |work=BBC News |date=31 January 2023 }}

In December 2016, Short engraved a portrait of writer Jane Austen on the transparent section of four polymer banknotes. Quotes from Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Mansfield Park were also engraved onto the notes, encircling Jane's portrait. These were then put into circulation.{{Cite news|url=https://news.sky.com/story/rare-5-note-worth-50-000-sent-in-christmas-card-10712029 |title=Rare £5 note worth £50,000 sent in Christmas card }} The four notes were distributed across areas of Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-42253418 |title=What happened to the fivers 'worth £50,000'? |work=BBC News |date=8 December 2017 }}

The £5 note, found in Northern Ireland, was sent anonymously to the Tony Huggins-Haig gallery in Kelso by the finder, who asked that the note be given to a children's charity. It was auctioned in London in December 2017 for £5,000. The proceeds were donated to the BBC Children in Need charity. The auctioneers, Morton and Eden, waived their fees and donated their portion to the same charity.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-42285009|title=Engraved £5 makes thousands for charity|work=BBC News|date=December 8, 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-38301860|title=Jane Austen £5 note 'worth £50,000' spent in Blackwood|work=BBC News|date=December 13, 2016}}

In 2001, Short won the 200-meter butterfly at the European Masters Championships in Mallorca. He broke the British and European record in the 1500m Freestyle in the first session of the ASA National Masters Championships 2016 at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, swimming 22:04.97 to claim gold in the 70–74 years age group, nearly four seconds under the previous record time of 22:08.91.{{Cite web|url=https://www.swimming.org/masters/graham-short-breaks-european-record-sheffield/|title=Graham Short lowers 1500m European record | ASA Masters 2016|date=October 28, 2016|website=Masters Swimming Hub}}

In 2019, Short played Ned in the short film Ned & Me. The film, sponsored by the British Film Industry, was screened at the 2020 'This Is England Festival' in Rouen, France, and was accepted for The Aesthetica Film Festival in York, a BAFTA Qualifying Festival for British short films. At the 2021 FICBUEU International Film Festival in Spain, Short was awarded 'Best Actor' for his portrayal of Ned in 'Ned & Me'.{{Cite web |title=Ned & Me |url=https://filmhubmidlands.org/make/short-film-funding/our-short-film-fund-slate/ned-me-2/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=Film Hub Midlands |language=en-US}}

In 2023, Graham Short’s second film, Dog Run, written and directed by Lorna Nickson Brown, picked up the ‘Best European Short Film’ honorable mention at the Catania Gold Elephant Film Festival in Italy.{{Cite web |title=Dog Run |url=https://www.lornanicksonbrown.com/dog-run |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=Lorna Nickson Brown |language=en-GB}}

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Category:1946 births

Category:Living people

Category:Microminiature sculptors