Nearly 175 years ago, my great- great paternal grandfather moved his family from Michigan to Florida. When I stop to think about it- a journey of nearly 1,500 miles back in those days. I just can’t imagine the hardship they went through. Sadly, the event I’m certain they all feared the most occurred somewhere in Georgia when their wagon had become stuck in the mud. As they worked to free it, it suddenly broke loose and my great- great grandpa was gravely injured when it rolled over him. He died along the way to where they finally settled in a little lost town called Gaiter (pronounced gator) just west of Ocala, Florida. Not much remains of the town but the little dirt road, the family cemetery and the Cedar Grove church where my Nana went to school and church.
I was born in 1967 while my parents were living in Chattanooga, TN where my dad was attending college. Six months later we moved back home to Florida where my sister and I grew up on Lake Killarney in Winter Park. We were swimming before we could walk (growing up on a lake my mama made sure of this) and water skiing by the age of six. I remember my first pair of water skis, they were called “Lil’ Broncos” made by Cypress Gardens. And every chance I got I would fish and if I wasn't fishing I was feeding them. I would spend hours snorkeling around the docks, hand-feeding mussels to the sunfish.
We also spent many weekends at my maternal grandmother and grandfather’s on Sanibel Island, and she and mama would take us snorkeling to look for shells or to the scallop dumps to scrounge for deep water shells- phew. Snorkeling turned to diving and there were many diving trips to the Keys for lobster or to the springs for pleasure. My dad traveled frequently throughout North and South America birding. His knowledge of birds was vast (legendary) and he was a highly sought after birding companion. We scouted most of Florida together but winter was my favorite time to go because winter in Florida is certainly pleasant and the coasts are abundant with shorebirds during migration. Shortly before my dad passed away, I thank God that we were able to get over to the coast one last time. While he was unable to recall the names of even the most common birds, he was happy...
My sister and I are so fortunate to have been raised by such loving and open-minded parents. And it was their own varied interests that rubbed off on us and they never stood in the way of freewill. The olden days of Florida have a special place in my life and the artwork is a direct result of those experiences.
Artist Statement
I preferred Lincoln Logs and Tinkertoys to LEGOS and erector sets- perhaps an early sign. I love working with wood. I guess it’s that innate want to be in contact with our natural surroundings. Wood is beautiful especially when naturally finished, and it’s perfect for detailing and painting. Handling and shaping wood is very cathartic and I suppose I draw and paint for the same reason. There is certainly more freedom in painting and drawing and I sometimes feel that I need to settle on one thing or the other- but where’s the fun in that…
Home is where the heart is and we have unknowingly lived the so-called “salt-life.” Many of my early years were spent diving and shelling with my mom and sister or birding and fishing with my dad. When I wasn’t fishing, I was hand-feeding mussels to the sunfish while snorkeling around the docks of the lake I grew up on. With a coastline of nearly 1,200 miles, a tidal shoreline of 2,276 miles, 663 miles of beaches, 11,000 miles of rivers, streams and waterways, and a total water area of 4,308 square miles- it’s just life. I have always enjoyed wildlife art, especially that which reminds me of my childhood and Florida. And I have always worked with my hands. So, I’m thankful I can merge the two and create things that are a reflection of myself and kindred spirits.
Chad Turner