The monthly Gallery Hop at Artworks Around Town will be an event of Friday, April 4th from 5 to 8 p.m. and will introduce the work of watercolor artist Linda Turner. Though now nationally recognized and acclaimed for her paintings, Linda can almost make the claim of being born and bred in West Virginia. She missed only three weeks, being born at Camp Gordon, Ga. where her father had just returned from service in WWII. Three weeks later, the family returned to Weston, WV.

During her childhood, the family traveled to several states and to Japan, as Linda's father had enlisted in the Air Force, but frequent assignments to Weston where he was a recruiter kept her in touch with her school and friends. Linda graduated from Weston High School, then went on to Glenville State College where she pursued twin interests of art and science. In referring to her early childhood, Linda said, "I still remember decorating Mom and Dad's new wallpaper when I was not quite four years old."

Linda and her husband spent seven years teaching in Braxton, Ct. public schools where she taught and served as an art director. In 1975 they moved to the small town of Jane Lew, and a year later Linda established her art studio which she named "Laurelwood".

Linda remarked that she became a watercolorist when, "My former college professor and later mentor, Charles C. Scott suggested that I needed to narrow my scope. I loved every art medium. Trying to decide what I would be unwilling to give up, I realized that watercolor and drawing were two I could not relinquish."

Her view of her chosen medium is truly poetic as she describes it. "Watercolor is such a luminous, vibrant and animated medium. A brush full of watercolor can be carefully or vigorously placed on the paper, and, depending on the conditions, dampness or dryness of the paper, will either slowly spread depositing its load of pigment particles wherever it decides, or it rambles across the sheet, infusing its own color and happily mixing with others creating passages I had not even thought of. It can be delicate and wispy or bold and brassy, dark and velvety or pale and veil-like. I am truly fascinated with its varied characteristics"

While painting in her studio is Linda's primary vocation and business, she also teaches to share her knowledge and her own ongoing learning process as she says, "I anticipate learning something new from every painting I create for the rest of my life."

Her subjects are, "whatever I find that stirs my imagination. I can be charmed by the delicacy of a wildflower, the rough layers of a centuries old building, or the stories I see in people all around me."

Linda's final comments on her work reflect her passion for her art, "Painting with watercolor, I must do it. It makes me joyful, frustrated, satisfied, perturbed, pleased and bewildered. I can't imagine not being a painter in this wonderful medium."

Her work has been published in magazines, calendars and books, including "The Best of Watercolor" and "People in Watercolor" by Rockport Publishers and "Artistic Touch 3" by Creative Art Press. Her painting of the Phillipi covered bridge was published in the magazine, "America's Civil War" and also graces the cover of the book by Stan Cohen, West Virginia's Covered Bridges."

She is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society and was co-founder and now past president of the West Virginia Watercolor Society. She also holds signature membership in the Transparent Watercolor Society of America and the Southern Watercolor Society.

Linda's paintings have been accepted into juried shows thoughout the United States, and have been recipients of many awards. She has exhibited at the American Watercolor Society International Exhibition in New York City, at the New England Watercolor Society biennial North American Open Exhibit, the Louisiana Watercolor Society 35th International Exhibition. Closer to home she has twice won best of show at the Exhibit 60, Morgantown, WV. show, as well as at the West Virginia Forest Festival Exhibit and several awards at the West Virginia Watercolor Society shows.

Her painting, "Goat Herd at Sant Andrea, graces the cover of the invitation to the Southern Watercolor Society 31st annual Juried exhibition which is presently on view at the Gadsden Arts Center in Quincy, Fl.

The Gallery Hop will be held at Artworks Around Town in the north end of the Historic Centre Market at 2200 Market Street in Wheeling. Refreshments will be served and the Hop is free and open to all. For further information call (304) 233-7540 or check Artworks website at www.artworksaroundtown.com.