Ray Turner

From Akron Museum of Art Population exhibit, permanent collection.

I am moving from IG and FB to different platforms because I was hacked and IG nor FB are any help. 

Felix, oil on glass. Felix and his significant other visited my studio a few weeks ago. Their purpose for coming was for me to get to paint Felix. I’m so fortunate to get to do what I do and live on this glorious planet, in my wonderful town. https://www.instagram.com/p/CpP8uGaLL8R/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Universe 19, m/m on paper, 32x 28 inches. These are a group of drawings I’ve been doing as part of the Good Man Bad Man series in 2000. The work is spontaneously made with the same criteria I use with all my work, find IT, in the process of making it. Where does It come from, where do we come from, where are we going? I decided to share some of them. https://www.instagram.com/p/Co98MQipOFI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Ink, and Gouache, part of the Good Man Bad Man series. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cou_SogPeNg/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Woman on Peach, oil on glass. This painting is of a young woman I painted for an exhibit at the Bakersfield Museum. One of the best parts of doing the exhibit in different cities and towns, was of course the people I got to meet and work with. Rachel was the curator at BMoA until recently. She was one of the best parts of that museum. Wishing her all the best in her future endeavors. https://www.instagram.com/p/CoH5JfJr-nt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Man on Pale Violet. This man was as part of a group of film makers living in Santa Fe. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn4YdPALUE1/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Night Train, oil on canvas, 36 x 48 inches, w/p. I think of everything in my studio as a work in progress. When is a piece “finished”. I had several answers for that over the years. Now my answer is there are many finishes. I’ve come to realize that most of the time when I go back into a piece it’s because I think I can make it better. Often that isn’t true, concluding it is then simply different. Some things come from a place where I am just a conduit, they make themselves. That is why showing up everyday is so important to me. I never know when I might get out of the way. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm_0aqYLy07/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Red. https://www.instagram.com/p/CmhBZIBrx0m/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Lowland River, oil on canvas, 40x60 inches, from the California Paintings. I’ve been working on these for several years. They paintings from memories of our beautiful state. https://www.instagram.com/p/CmcN29-v0hD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Malcolm, oil on copper. Malcolm was a wide receiver on the Patriots. He caught passes from Brady, including six in the Super Bowl one for a touchdown. He has a big Diamond ring for his efforts/successes. He also wrote a children’s book that was successfully received. I painted him a few times. I like him and his presence. The painting on glass is part of the Markley Collection, Boston, MA. I know him because of my friend Jeff Markley, to whom I am forever in his debt. https://www.instagram.com/p/CmXEtfePFoE/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Doctor, oil on glass, BOMA. https://www.instagram.com/p/CmMxQ87v6mc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

D’Angelo, oil on glass, 2022. This completes the exceptional Bridge’s family. An honor to paint each one. Their gratitude to me and my gratitude to them was palpable. That human exchange of good will and love is particularly in the air in this season. It is also there each day of the 365 1/4 days we’re gifted, if we decide to be grateful in each one of them. Gratitude is miracle dust. :o) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmJq-jQrL8H/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Evi, oil on glass, 2022. “Every time I paint a portrait I lose a friend.” -Sergent. I laugh when I think of that quote and have many times commiserated in the angst of the process, not in painting the piece, but in showing it to the person I’ve painted. https://www.instagram.com/p/CmHFTgtr0_Q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

J.B. Oil on glass, 2022. https://www.instagram.com/p/ClrMIkqPUIX/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Evita, oil on glass, 2022. From the Bridges family collection. https://www.instagram.com/p/ClmJaqRPDHX/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Studio, November 30. It will be December day after tomorrow, amazing; how precious the time is, as it seems to fly by faster each year. Some of these paintings I have been working on were started five years ago and more. I keep coming back to the same conclusion that more time on something doesn’t necessarily make the work better, sometimes it does, sometimes they’re just different. I do think however it makes me better, bit by bit. It is also easy to get discouraged, it is more work and way better to feed the giant, that edifies. The one that brings us down seems to be hungrier though, and more relentless. I want that one to starve. I’ve learned thoughts have no power until I voice them, either positive, or negative, they become the tomorrows. Go USA!!! https://www.instagram.com/p/CljWqpeJL4n/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=