At The Huntington in Los Angeles, we were fortunate to have time to view the art. Imagine my surprise when I walked into one room, and found there were two Turners on display. What a treat for me. I was able to spend as much time as I wanted since there were not too many people there at the same time. When I’ve seen his work at other museums in New York, London, and Paris, the galleries are so crowded that you are not comfortable looking closely at his brushstrokes and use of paint. Not all of his subject matter appeals to me, but all of his paint handling does. I love the atmospheric qualities he creates, the layering of thin paints over and over each other. Looking closely, I can see the pentimenti of decisions he’s made over time. I learn more each time I study Turner’s work closely. Fifty years of painting and still learning.

The Grand Canal: Scene – A Street in Venice, c. 1837
Joseph Mallord William Turner
(British, 1774-1851)
Oil on canvas

These daily studio notes lead toward my 2026 solo exhibitions in New York City and  Poughkeepsie, NY.