Charleston Living Magazine Nov-Dec 2023

It was around this time that Carl took
a tour of the late Frederic Church’s home on
the Hudson River. An easel held an unfinished
painting that felt to Carl like a warning.
At the age of 50, Church had suffered terrible
arthritis in his right hand and had to start
painting with his left. “I knew then, about to
turn 50 myself, I needed to pursue my dream
of being a full-time fine artist. We are not
promised tomorrow.”
Carl packed up and moved to Charleston.
He quickly became a regular contributor
to Piccolo Spoleto, where he won a Governor’s
Award and was juried into the annual
artist’s exhibit during Spoleto at the
prestigious City Gallery two years in a row.
“Charleston has a lot of artists competing
for gallery space, but I was able to establish
myself as a member of the city’s thriving art
community for over 20 years.” Carl taught
himself to paint landscapes, focusing on
marsh scenes and beaches. He also accepted
many commissions for his fine art portraits,
which he paints exclusively in oils.
And guess what began to sneak into his
paintings? Remember that connection to Willie
B? Well, the animals came knocking. It began
with pelicans and egrets, the quieter creatures of
the lowcountry. “The paintings sold well, but for
a long time, I resisted being a wildlife painter.
I just did not want to be pigeonholed. But I
found myself increasingly drawn to animals,
and after an extended stay in Brevard, NC, this
draw became a fascination with the creatures of
the North Carolina Mountains.”
This is what you will find in his new and
evolving series. The focus is mountain wildlife,
presented in a realistic style but with a graphic
background similar to quilting. In this series,
Carl expresses his own feelings about these
creatures and our interconnectedness.
This chapter of Carl’s artistic journey
is informed by all the earlier chapters and
each moment of profound impact—the kind
words of a teacher, the realism he learned
from early mentors, the study of modern
artists, the quilting and layering of designs
honed in a commercial career, a love and deep
respect for animals and a lifetime of spiritual
exploration. It is the whole of Carl—of a human
life—that lives in his new work, a visual
expression of one man’s evolution. •
To see more of Carl's work visit carlturnerart.com.
To inquire about a portrait commission or purchase
a painting email Carl at carl.turner@icloud.com.
(Opposite): "Summer Visitors, Birds Series", oil on
canvas, 8"x10"; "Shine"- Portrait of Reagan with
her Spirit Animal, oil on canvas, 24"x32"; Portrait
commission of John B., oil on canvas, 24"x36."
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November/December 2023 | 35