Interview
Chris Turner
Chris Turner currently lives and paints in Texas, where he was born and raised. He has completed a BA in architecture from the University of Houston, Texas.
Having worked in architecture and real estate for 34 years, Chris became a professional artist in 2015. But he was no stranger to the art world, being an art collector for 40 years.
After experimenting with different styles, Chris discovered abstract expressionism and immediately knew it was what he wanted to do.
His work has been shown at many galleries and juried exhibitions, from Texas to Washington.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“As a kid growing up in Texas, our lives were rooted in certain fixed activities: school, sports, church, and trips to see family. But our lives also revolved annually, like a planet, around our summer vacation. It was the highlight of the year.
My parents loved going on long road trips out West — Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, and Arizona. So many of my earliest memories are of the sweeping vistas of the American West, and the primal elements of earth, water, and sky. The colors, textures, and ever-changing light had a profound impact on me before I even had any concept about art.
My initial journey into the art world began in grade school as a result of being disciplined for a long-forgotten infraction of some rule. I was somewhat rebellious in general, so I was not allowed to go on a school trip to the symphony, and my punishment was to stay in school with a teacher monitoring me. To keep me occupied, they gave me a sketchpad of brown craft paper and several boxes of crayons, with no instructions other than to stay busy and to behave.
The time flew by and the ‘punishment’ opened a door to a new world. This is my first memory of attempting to put on paper what was in my mind.”
What inspires you most?
“This is such a great question because the answer is so unique to every person. There are many commonalities shared by all of us as human beings, but also contained within each of us are unique specifics related to what inspires us.
My inspiration often arrives unexpectedly, like a ray of light suddenly appearing from behind a passing cloud. The genesis of creativity can come literally from anywhere: a snatch of song, a line from a new poem, a shift in the weather, a forgotten memory, the discipline of meditation, discovering a new way of making a mark on the canvas, sensing the emotional weight of a piece of sculpture like the pull of gravity, and the list goes on.
But most frequently, inspiration arrives when I’m in the studio already at work. The idea behind the art is essential, but it requires discipline, focus, and hard mental and physical effort to become fully alive. Picasso summed it up best for me when he said, ‘Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.’”
“My creativity is motivated by the belief that art speaks to each of us, in spite of the barriers that may separate us.
Art has the power to unite us, bringing hope and transformation to one another.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“Through the vocabulary of color, composition, and texture, my desire is to create visual stories that evoke an emotional and spiritual connection with the viewer. I believe we all share the same basic human desire for love, acceptance, significance, and redemption, and art can be a compelling force for good.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work is a direct reflection of who I am at this point in my life. I would describe it as being intellectually curious and spiritually grounded. These two qualities coexist in me peacefully most of the time. However, this dichotomy sometimes creates a tension that can manifest in my art in unpredictable ways.
Since I’m an experimentalist at heart, this tension is what produces the creativity that leads to new creative elements, methods, and ideas in my pursuit of making statements which bring my paintings to life.”
Which artists influence you most?
“I’ve had a lifelong love affair with art, so the list of artists whose works have captivated me is fairly lengthy. However, I experienced a seismic aesthetic shift ten years ago when I fell in love with abstract expressionism. Prior to that, I had little regard for abstract art of any type, and then suddenly my ability to see changed. I can’t explain it other than to say that God literally opened my eyes to see the beauty in abstract art.
After being an art collector of traditional paintings and sculptures most of my adult life, an entirely new universe of creativity suddenly opened before me. What a gift! As a result, I discovered artists who still influence me today. These include: Franz Kline for his rigorous approach to abstraction. Helen Frankenthaler and her intense study of the old Masters, soaking up their wisdom as her canvases would later soak up her layers of paint. Joan Mitchel and her deconstructed landscapes of explosions of color. Gerhard Richter and his lifelong pursuit of truth and meaning through experimentation in painting and photography.
Others include JMW Turner, who I consider the first abstractionist, Paul Gauguin for his color palettes and compositions, and John Singer Sargent for his breathtaking watercolors. And many more, such as Hopper, Diebenkorn, de Kooning and Rothko.
What they all have in common is a deep human connection with the world around them, and a willingness to take risks in developing their unique voice that speaks visually about their encounters with that world.”
What is your creative process like?
“My creative process and vision are what I describe as deliberately intuitive. They are rooted in the belief that each painting is imbued with its own life, and knows what statement it is meant to convey to the viewer. My role is to collaborate with the canvas. We are, in essence, dance partners, leading and following each other until the music is over.
This dialogue begins as soon as my brush touches the canvas and continues until the painting says it is finished. I utilize a wide variety of tools and techniques to create layers of paint, and intuitively make marks on the canvas as it speaks to me and I respond, creating a visual language that draws the viewer into the story and creates a connection with the art.
Many of the color palettes, gestures, and totems found in my work have evolved from my travel experiences in the U.S. and overseas. The artistic expressions and impressions of the people and cultures which I have encountered continue to shape and inspire my artistic vision.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The artist’s role in society is to create new opportunities both in their communities and worldwide, to inform, challenge, educate, illuminate, inspire, and critique in every sphere of society.
Innovations in technology have changed the way art has been made and displayed throughout human history. Whether the changes were incremental or revolutionary, they have unceasingly expanded the possibilities for creating art, while also reducing barriers to presenting it to a wider audience. This evolution has exploded in the digital age we are in, and will continue to expand.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“Several of the key benefits of being a member of the Visual Artist Alliance – Houston, is their annual juried exhibitions and the quality of the jurors which they attract. There are two primary exhibitions annually: one Juried Open Exhibition and one Juried Members Exhibition.
I’ve been fortunate to have my work selected in the 2021 Open Exhibition, the 2022 Members Exhibition, and the 2022 Open Exhibition.
In 2021, our juror for the Open Exhibition was Dr. Harry Cooper, chief curator and head of modern art at The National Gallery in Washington, DC. This year, the juror for the 2022 Members Exhibition was Lester Marks, a nationally renowned art collector who has also been designated as Houston Ambassador to The Arts by the Mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner.
For the 2022 Open Exhibition, our juror was the esteemed Alison de Lima Greene, chief curator and head of Modern Art at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH). She selected two of my works for the show. This was significant for me because my grade school drawings had led to receiving a scholarship offer in junior high, becoming one of 25 citywide students selected to participate in the art studio program at the MFAH.”
