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Artist’s Biography

Brian J. Turner

Born in Hertfordshire, Turner completed a one year Foundation course in Fine Art at Hertfordshire College of Art & Design in 1974, before moving to Exeter to undertake a B.A. (Hons) Fine Art Degree, graduating in 1978. In 1979 he was commended by William Feaver (Art Critic - Sunday Observer), for his abstract painting Fragment Number II, when exhibited in The Westward Open which toured both Taunton and Newlyn. His work has been widely exhibited since then, both in the West Country, Home Counties, Northern Ireland and France.

Turner painted mainly in the abstract genre until the mid eighties when his work began to develop and incorporate an idiosyncratic "Englishness", dealing with figurative subjects in a narrative and humorous way. It was a distinctive change and one which has held him in good stead as his work, both abstract and idiosyncratic, has been purchased for both private and municipal collections throughout America, the Far East, Europe and Great Britain.

He works in a variety of media including acrylic, oils and water-colour.

Key Dates:

1994: produced a series of paintings for Buckingham Fine Art which were later introduced as a series of 4 limited edition prints.

1996: commissioned by The Great West Run to produce a painting celebrating the unique nature of the event.

1997: opened The TURNER GALLERY in Exeter 's Northernhay Street.

1998: commissioned to produce a design for the finishers' medal for The Great West Run, launched at the London Marathon Exhibition which, following its success, has been used each year up to the present day.
invited guest of honour by the Salon de Peintres de la Ville d'Ys during their prestigious summer exhibition in Finistere, Northern Brittany.

1999: exhibited at The Fergusson Gallery, Belfast. work exhibited in Poitier, France

2000: invited to exhibit work in "The Innocent Eye" which celebrated the primitive, naive and idiosyncratic art of Cornwall and the South West, held at The Mariners Gallery, St. Ives.

2002: invited to exhibit work in the exhibition "Firing Up", at The South Gate Arch Gallery, Launceston, Cornwall.
November/December, one man exhibition "Abstract Paintings", University of Exeter.

2003: July/August ,16th Millfield Open, The Atkinson Gallery, Millfield, Somerset.

2004: Major touring exhibition of 33 Biblical Narrative Paintings; Chester Cathedral, Worcester Cathedral, Gloucester Cathedral and Exeter Cathedral.

2005: The TURNER GALLERY relocates to Exeter's Queen Street.
Major touring exhibition of 33 Biblical Narrative Paintings continues; Wells Cathedral, York Minster and Chichester Cathedral.

2006: Began working on a major project which will see the entire Bible brought to life through paintings. 326 drawings produced during March, April and May known collectively as "The Gospel Drawings", will become part of the project as they are worked into paintings.

An article on Turner's Adam & Eve Series, written by Esther D. Reed, Associate Professor of Theological Ethics, University of Exeter, entitled "A Meditation on the Meeting of Lovers" was published by Art and Christianity magazine in July 2004.

Turner has written many articles and reviews published by The Dartmoor Magazine, Halsgrove Publishing, The Gallery Seen, Downes Mill Publishing and Northcliffe Newspapers.

1994:	produced a series of paintings for Buckingham Fine Art which were later introduced as a series of 4 limited edition prints.
1996:	commissioned by The Great West Run to produce a painting celebrating the unique nature of the event.
1997:	opened The TURNER GALLERY in Exeter 's Northernhay Street.
1998:	commissioned to produce a design for the finishers' medal for The Great West Run, launched at the London Marathon Exhibition which, following its success, has been used each year up to the present day. invited guest of honour by the Salon de Peintres de la Ville d'Ys during their prestigious summer exhibition in Finistere, Northern Brittany.
1999:	exhibited at The Fergusson Gallery, Belfast. work exhibited in Poitier, France
2000:	invited to exhibit work in "The Innocent Eye" which celebrated the primitive, naive and idiosyncratic art of Cornwall and the South West, held at The Mariners Gallery, St. Ives.
2002:	invited to exhibit work in the exhibition "Firing Up", at The South Gate Arch Gallery, Launceston, Cornwall. November/December, one man exhibition "Abstract Paintings", University of Exeter.
2003:	July/August ,16th Millfield Open, The Atkinson Gallery, Millfield, Somerset.
2004:	Major touring exhibition of 33 Biblical Narrative Paintings; Chester Cathedral, Worcester Cathedral, Gloucester Cathedral and Exeter Cathedral.
2005:	The TURNER GALLERY relocates to Exeter's Queen Street. Major touring exhibition of 33 Biblical Narrative Paintings continues; Wells Cathedral, York Minster and Chichester Cathedral.
2006:	Began working on a major project which will see the entire Bible brought to life through paintings. 326 drawings produced during March, April and May known collectively as "The Gospel Drawings", will become part of the project as they are worked into paintings.