Arthur Turner, a notable Houston-based abstract watercolorist and educator, died Friday, October 18, 2024.
Arthur Turner
Charles Arthur Turner was born on November 17, 1940, in Houston, Texas. His family owned a farm, which was located where the George H.W. Bush Intercontinental Airport now stands. Mr. Turner has said that as a child, he was always barefoot running around the farm and that from an early age he was interested in art, though his parents hoped he would pursue a more profitable career.
Mr. Turner attended Sam Houston State University for a year prior to transferring to North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas) in Denton. He earned a BA in 1962 and an MFA from the prestigious Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in 1966. Following his graduation, Mr. Turner taught briefly at the Birmingham Art Association and then worked for two years as an Assistant Professor at James Madison University in Virginia.
In 1969, Mr. Turner returned to Houston to teach at the Glassell School of Art (formerly the Museum School) at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH). In a 2017 interview, he spoke about the significance of having direct access to art to teach. He stated, “With notice, I can get what I need. I can have watercolors from the 18th or 19th century, and it’s exciting for the students to see the original works firsthand in a casual atmosphere.”
Arthur Turner and students at the Glassell.
During his 50-year tenure at the Glassell School, Mr. Turner was beloved and mentored many artists. In 2011, the Houston Chronicle spoke with several longtime students, many of whom would line up to register for his classes to ensure a spot. Nancy Grob, who took classes with Mr. Turner for over a decade, stated, “The class is so good for the brain and spirit, but I wouldn’t come if it weren’t for Arthur. He’s kind, he’s funny, and he can tell me how to correct my work without making me feel bad.”
In an obituary for the artist, Joe Havel, Director Emeritus at the Glassell School, said, “Perhaps Arthur’s strongest gift to students and to others in the artistic community is how he exemplifies what it means to be an artist with an appetite for exploring, creative expression, and a delight in living. He paints, teaches, gardens, travels, goes junk shopping, and even eats dinner with the same joy and openness to experience that characterizes his paintings. This life vitality is the true subject of his work.”
Arthur Turner, “Torso Roundel, 2,” 2013, watercolor and ink on paper, 24 x 18 inches
Aside from his career as an educator, Mr. Turner was a prolific artist whose work has been exhibited widely in Houston and across the U.S. Notably, his work has been shown at Lew Allen Contemporary in Santa Fe, the Norfolk Museum of Art in Virginia, the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, the Galveston Arts Center, and the MFAH. He was one of the first artists to exhibit with Moody Gallery when it opened in 1975 and continues to be represented by the gallery.
Betty Moody told Glasstire, “Arthur Turner was a beloved friend, artist, and teacher. I knew Arthur for over 50 years — a rare and treasured friendship — and had the pleasure and honor of representing him and showing his work during all those years. No one could make watercolors like Arthur. They were filled with light and imagination — exquisite! I will continue to exhibit his work at the gallery, and will remember his friendship with very deep love, respect, and admiration.”
Arthur Turner, “Point Landing,” 2019, watercolor on gesso on paper, 7 x 5 inches. Courtesy of Moody Gallery, Houston, Texas
Mr. Turner’s work is held in the collections of the MFAH, the Museum of Southeast Texas, the McNay Art Museum, and various private and corporate collections.
A scholarship fund at the Glassell School will be established in Mr. Turner’s name; contributions can be made via the MFAH website. Additionally, Moody Gallery will present A Tribute, a small show of the artist’s work, which will be on view in its Garden Gallery from November 9 through December 7. On Sunday, November 24, from Noon to 3 p.m. the gallery will also host a gathering in Mr. Turner’s memory.
