Turner Trails

We hosted ‘Light into Colour Turner in the South West from 20 May until 5 August 2006. The exhibition was the first display to focus on tours to the South West made by Devonshire-born JMW Turner (1775 to 1851) and provided a rare opportunity to witness the full scale of his creative development, from observation through to finished picture.

To coincide with the exhibition, members of staff from our Learning Team helped to organise two ‘Turner Trails’ attended by the Drawn to the Valley Artists. This group of 120 professional artists who live and work on both sides of the River Tamar includes sculptors, metal designers, printmakers, textile artists, painters and ceramicists.

Around 20 members of the group followed in the footsteps of Turner on two separate balmy evenings in July 2006. Using his work as their guide they walked from Calstock to Gunnislake, stopping where he stood to sketch nearly 200 years ago. The sketches they made were then used as inspiration for works of their own, a number of which were displayed in our Discovery Centre in August 2006. A further display called 'Drawn to Turner' was also held in December 2006, showcasing more Turner-inspired work by the artists.