My City January 2022

MYARTS

TURNER CREATES MANY COMMISSIONED WORKS.

T urner’s sculpting process is distinct in that it has been developed by him alone – a singular technique built through years of experience. e majority of his works are composed of aluminum foil (no clay or any other shaping medium is used) and he uses drywall putty to ll in gaps and help with painting and nishing. From con- cept to completion, the process can take anywhere from a single day to weeks. “My nishing techniques are constantly evolving,” he shares. “My artistic life is full of ‘happy accidents,’ as Bob Ross would say.”As far as inspiration goes, Turner sees it everywhere and is always surprised by what he creates. “I can see the shape of my next sculpture in the leaves of a tree or lean of a building, and when I start working, I often lose time and nd that it’s already past mid- night or early the next day,” he laughs. When not in his studio, Turner spends time at SBEV coordinating the art program and working with young artists in a variety of mediums. “We recently started sculpting and the class just nished making a large

HYENA SCULPTED FOR THE URBAN SAFARI PROJECT

hippopotamus that they painted pink with green spots,” he laughs. His goal at SBEV is to grow the children’s talent and awareness of art, and to help them understand the importance of art and how it can truly become a lifetime pro- fession. “I want them all to understand that art doesn’t have to just be a hobby,”

he explains. “It can be pursued as a liv- ing. You can get paid to do something you love. At SBEV, we try to help kids think like entrepreneurs. I want them to avoid the rut that I fell into for so long.” For years, Turner has been silently sculpting and creating and now, his hard work and talent are getting noticed.

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