Watercolors on exhibit at Gourgaud

Chinese watercolor artist J.C. Turner to exhibit her work at Gourgaud Gallery in Town Hall.

By: Lacey Korevec
   Artist J.C. Turner, of Jamison, Pa., became interested in Chinese watercolor while observing a class at the Windy Bush Gallery in New Hope, Pa. She was drawn in by the ancient stories and parables told by a teacher trying to peak students’ interest in the ancient art form.
   Ms. Turner was hooked, but soon learned that Chinese watercolor is not an easy technique to pick up, even for an experienced artist.
   "The water, the vegetable-based paints, the rice paper, the brush created my great struggle to find that perfect balance between dry brush effects and a rapid absorption of color into the paper, completely out of my control," she said.
   Now, several years later, Ms. Turner, who has mastered Chinese watercolor, will have her works displayed at the Gourgaud Gallery throughout the month of May in an exhibit titled, "Chinese Art in Bloom."
   The majority of Ms. Turner’s paintings are of flowers that she bundles together and paints from life. One of the 30 pieces that will be included in the exhibit is titled "White Geraniums." Ms. Turner said the painting was the most challenging for her because she had to create white flowers on white paper.
   "I had a pot of white geraniums and I really challenged myself," she said. "The challenge with Chinese watercolor is sometimes when the paint dries it looks completely different. So, to get that subtlety in the white, I used a little bit of blue, a little bit of yellow and green, but I was very, very careful."
   Ms. Turner, who studied at the Syracuse University School of Fine Arts in New York, the Ridgewood Art Institute in New Jersey, the Reilly League of Artists in New York and the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts in Pennsylvania, said her works capture the delicate, soft texture of the flowers she paints.
   "I’m not a hard-edged person," she said. "Even though everything I paint is realistic, it all has this sort of soft, impressionistic realism. It’s almost impressionistic, but the realism is there."
   Another piece in the exhibit, "African Violet," is one of Ms. Turner’s favorites because of the texture of the fuzzy leaves she had to recreate on paper.
   "The violets I had that I was looking at had very little, lacey edges to them and getting that little lacey edge to them and the softness of the leaves was difficult," she said, adding that the painting will be displayed in a round, gold frame. "That was a challenging one and a successful one."
   Ms. Turner’s works are all different sizes and will be displayed in unique frames, which is a staple of Chinese watercolor, she said.
   "Nothing in Chinese watercolor comes out to be a standard size," she said. "It’s just a free-flowing kind of medium and wherever it takes you, you go."
   This summer, Ms. Turner is planning to visit China with her son and daughter-in law. She said the trip will allow her to fine-tune her Chinese watercolor technique and explore different materials to capture.
   "I’m looking to branch out, if you will, to landscapes," she said. "Maybe even do some people. I’ve done flowers for a while and now I want to branch out and I think my trip to China is going to be very inspiring for my artwork."
   Whether you’re into Chinese art or not, Ms. Turner said, community members should check out the exhibit and see what it’s all about.
   "I am an American painter and I’m painting in a Chinese method and form," she said. "I think I have my own unique style that may be not what they consider traditional Chinese style. It’s my own interpretation of it, so I think it might be a little different than other Chinese art they’ve seen."
   "Chinese Art in Bloom" will be on display May 4 through May 27 at the Gourgaud Gallery in Town Hall.
   A First Friday reception will be held May 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the gallery.