Art by Cheryl Turner
About the Artist
When Turner was 18, she loaded up her VW bug with all of her personal belongings and traveled cross-country to take a chance and follow her dreams to work at Disney that had just opened up in Orlando. At night, she sketched portraits for Disney and attended Valencia Community College during the day. Although she says she benefited greatly from the art classes that she took, she still considers herself a self-taught artist. While working at Disney she had the opportunity to experiment with many different materials, study color, and learn valuable techniques that she found instrumental as a fine artist. Over the years, she continued with Disney as a sculptor, mold/model maker, and later, set and prop designer as part of the art direction team know as Walt Disney Imagineering. In 1987, Turner left Disney to start her own creative business with her life partner that was also a former Disney artist and together they started the first women owned Scenic Design and Production Company in the area. Their shop created everything from painted backdrops, sculptures, fiberglass trees, to scale models and drafting.
Artist Statement
Turner is inspired by the time of speakeasy's and underground bars. Swanky women and men with swagger are her favorite charters to depict in her decadent themed nostalgic paintings with a modern twist.
Selected Solo Shows:
2011- Lee James Gallery @ City Arts Factory, Orlando, FL. "Boudoir" (solo show)
2011- George Hester Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, FL. "Paintings by Cheryl Turner" (solo show)
2009- Gallery Q, Orlando, FL. "No Ordinary Love" ( two-woman show)
2007- Gallery Q, Orlando FL. "Fem, Fem, Fem" ( solo show)
2007- Stonewall Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, FL. "Fem, Fem, Fem" ( solo show)
2007- Storks, Wilton Manors, FL. ( solo show)
2008- Dexters, Thornton Park, Orlando, FL. (solo show)
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2010- Ft Lauderdale Library, Ft Lauderdale, FL. "Art Explosion"
2009- Museum of Florida Art, Deland, FL. "The Art of Chrome & Leather VI"
2009- Scott Laurent Gallery, Winter Park, FL
2008- Webber Center Gallery, Ocala, FL. "Aftermath: Women respond to HERicanes Katrina, Frances and Jeanne".
2008- City Arts factory, Orlando, FL. "Feminati"
2007- Claudia Chapline Gallery, Stinson Beach, Ca. "Strong Waves"
2007- Fine Line Gallery, Atlanta, GA. (one of three-featured artist)
2006- Seminole Community College, Sanford, FL. "Aftermath"
Awards:
2010- Best of Show- Fort Lauderdale Library, Ft Lauderdale, FL. "Art Explosion" title "Merman of the Mangroves"
2007- Best of Show- Gallery Q, Orlando, FL. "Bacchanalia" title "Wine Cellar"
2007- Best Female Artist of South Florida- Express Magazine
2006- Best of Show- Gallery Q, Orlando, FL. "Bacchanalia" title "Bath"
Selected Publications:
Express Gay News, July 19, 2007 (interview and cover of EXTRA)
Orlando Sentinel, March 2-8 2007 (article and review with photo)
Watermark, 2007 (review with photo)
Orlando Weekly, March 1-72007(article and review with photos)
Orlando Sentinel- Forum, December 22, 2007 (interview of four QUACK artists)
What's Happening, March 2008, Vol. 2 Issue 6A (artist spotlight)
Ocala.com, March 2, 2008 (article on "Aftermath" with quote from Turner)
Gir(L) Magazine, 2007, Vol. 3 Issue 4 (featured artist: article, announcement with photos)
When Turner was 18, she loaded up her VW bug with all of her personal belongings and traveled cross-country to take a chance and follow her dreams to work at Disney that had just opened up in Orlando. At night, she sketched portraits for Disney and attended Valencia Community College during the day. Although she says she benefited greatly from the art classes that she took, she still considers herself a self-taught artist. While working at Disney she had the opportunity to experiment with many different materials, study color, and learn valuable techniques that she found instrumental as a fine artist. Over the years, she continued with Disney as a sculptor, mold/model maker, and later, set and prop designer as part of the art direction team know as Walt Disney Imagineering. In 1987, Turner left Disney to start her own creative business with her life partner that was also a former Disney artist and together they started the first women owned Scenic Design and Production Company in the area. Their shop created everything from painted backdrops, sculptures, fiberglass trees, to scale models and drafting.
Artist Statement
Turner is inspired by the time of speakeasy's and underground bars. Swanky women and men with swagger are her favorite charters to depict in her decadent themed nostalgic paintings with a modern twist.
Selected Solo Shows:
2011- Lee James Gallery @ City Arts Factory, Orlando, FL. "Boudoir" (solo show)
2011- George Hester Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, FL. "Paintings by Cheryl Turner" (solo show)
2009- Gallery Q, Orlando, FL. "No Ordinary Love" ( two-woman show)
2007- Gallery Q, Orlando FL. "Fem, Fem, Fem" ( solo show)
2007- Stonewall Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, FL. "Fem, Fem, Fem" ( solo show)
2007- Storks, Wilton Manors, FL. ( solo show)
2008- Dexters, Thornton Park, Orlando, FL. (solo show)
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2010- Ft Lauderdale Library, Ft Lauderdale, FL. "Art Explosion"
2009- Museum of Florida Art, Deland, FL. "The Art of Chrome & Leather VI"
2009- Scott Laurent Gallery, Winter Park, FL
2008- Webber Center Gallery, Ocala, FL. "Aftermath: Women respond to HERicanes Katrina, Frances and Jeanne".
2008- City Arts factory, Orlando, FL. "Feminati"
2007- Claudia Chapline Gallery, Stinson Beach, Ca. "Strong Waves"
2007- Fine Line Gallery, Atlanta, GA. (one of three-featured artist)
2006- Seminole Community College, Sanford, FL. "Aftermath"
Awards:
2010- Best of Show- Fort Lauderdale Library, Ft Lauderdale, FL. "Art Explosion" title "Merman of the Mangroves"
2007- Best of Show- Gallery Q, Orlando, FL. "Bacchanalia" title "Wine Cellar"
2007- Best Female Artist of South Florida- Express Magazine
2006- Best of Show- Gallery Q, Orlando, FL. "Bacchanalia" title "Bath"
Selected Publications:
Express Gay News, July 19, 2007 (interview and cover of EXTRA)
Orlando Sentinel, March 2-8 2007 (article and review with photo)
Watermark, 2007 (review with photo)
Orlando Weekly, March 1-72007(article and review with photos)
Orlando Sentinel- Forum, December 22, 2007 (interview of four QUACK artists)
What's Happening, March 2008, Vol. 2 Issue 6A (artist spotlight)
Ocala.com, March 2, 2008 (article on "Aftermath" with quote from Turner)
Gir(L) Magazine, 2007, Vol. 3 Issue 4 (featured artist: article, announcement with photos)
