Merwyn Levy was born in Swansea. Studied at the Royal College of Art under Sir William Rothenstein and Gilbert Spencer. From childhood was a fried of Dylan Thomas, his portrait of the poet is held by the National Portrait Gallery. At the Royal College of Art Levy won the Herbert Read Prize for Drawing at the 1935 annual students exhibition. Exhibited at RWA and elsewhere, solo shows including Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in Swansea. Held a series of teaching posts, including Royal West of England Academy. In 1982 published autobiographical fragments 'Reflections in a Broken Mirror'.