Theodore Roy “Ted” Turner, “Beach Scene”

Theodore Roy “Ted” Turner, “Beach Scene”
Oil on canvas
Signed lower right
36" H x 48" W x 1" D

In this large beach scene, Turner arranges loosely rendered figures, striped umbrellas, and a sailboat across a broad field of ochre beneath a band of creamy white sky. The familiar elements of a day at the shore are simplified almost to abstraction, with flashes of pink, red, yellow, navy, and olive emerging through the heavily worked surface. Visible brushstrokes, scraped passages, and layered areas of paint give the canvas substantial texture and movement.

The painting reflects the expressive range for which Turner became known. His work moved between recognizable landscapes, seascapes, portraits, and urban scenes and more abstract compositions. Rather than describing the beach conventionally, Turner uses unexpected color and abbreviated forms to create an energetic, highly individual interpretation of the subject.

About the Artist:
Theodore Roy “Ted” Turner (American, 1922–2002) earned his BFA from Richmond Professional Institute, now Virginia Commonwealth University, before continuing his studies at New York University. After teaching at Dartmouth College, he moved to Charlottesville in 1952 and taught at the University of Virginia for 33 years. His work was exhibited at institutions including the Brooklyn Museum, Chrysler Museum of Art, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, and Babcock Galleries in New York. Turner’s work is also represented in public collections at UVA, Dartmouth College, Brown University, Washington and Lee University, and the New York Public Library.