Graham Turner Biography
It probably stands to reason to say that Graham Turner's career as an artist was inevitable - as the son of Michael Turner, he was obviously immersed in an atmosphere of art and car racing from an early age. Initially though, his interest was directed towards becoming a mechanical draftsman, until at the age of 16 he developed the idea of embarking on a career similar to that of his father, which was followed by two years of study at the Art & Design College in Amersham.
It was also during this time that he became interested in such seemingly disparate things as wildlife and racing. Earlier memories of racing were far from positive. From the sheer loudness of a Formula 1 race, to an unforgettable accident at Zandvoort when a large metal camera housing fell from a television scaffold onto him while his horrified father watched helplessly from the other side of the track. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured.
In 1980 the family moved to their home in Buckinghamshire, which included a small leasehold property. This was soon followed by the purchase of goats, chickens and horses. When not engaged in weekend farming, Graham locked himself in the garage to tinker with his first car. This soon evolved into preparing his own rally cars and actively participating in motorsports. However, his rally driving career ended abruptly after a multiple roll with his hybrid Ford-powered Opel Kadett. Since then, his participation in competitions has been limited to that of co-driver for friends - mainly due to lack of time due to many jobs - but perhaps more because he met his current wife Anita, by far a more attractive pastime than lying under cars and wrenching on them.
After working for a London design studio for two years, Graham has been working as a freelance artist since he was twenty-one. The decision to work on his own account was prompted by a commission to illustrate a major stamp series on the history of the automobile for a number of Caribbean islands. Since then, his clients have included drivers, teams and sponsors as well as enthusiasts and collectors who want to see their racing memories immortalized.
Most of Graham's paintings are done in gouache, a quick-drying, water-soluble medium. However, having recently experimented more frequently with oil paints, he is finding he also enjoys this technique. In his opinion, the long drying time is easily compensated for by some of the effects that can be achieved with this painting technique.
Graham now lives in Buckinghamshire with his wife Anita and their two children. A few years ago he discovered an unusual hobby for himself - jousting tournaments in which, wearing impressive homemade knight's armor, he attempts to topple his opponent from his warhorse with a long lance in a duel. In 2010, Graham won the coveted Queen's Golden Jubilee Trophy at the Royal Armouries, the country's premier tournament. Of course, he also produces decorative paintings on this theme.
Automotive art prints by Graham Turner
