Oxton based artist, Dave Turner is about to graduate in Real Estate and says that taking the sensible path made him see the direction he really wanted to go in.
Dave first discovered his love of painting whilst attending St. Anselms College, where he studied art at both GCSE and A-Level.
However, when it came to university he let his head rule his heart and informed by family links, he decided to study Real Estate. Despite taking what he thought was the pragmatic path, Dave couldn’t just stop creating art and in 2019 he made sure he took all his equipment with him to halls.
A matter of months later the 2020 pandemic took hold and when universities closed Dave made the decision to move home, as he explains, “I just packed what I thought were essentials at first but as soon as I closed the door I knew I had to go back and get my art stuff.”
It was perhaps that realisation that signalled a significant shift in Dave’s journey, as his art soon went from being a pastime to a vital part of daily life.
Three years later and Dave is about to graduate with a degree in Real Estate but he’s now following his heart instead of his head and pursuing a career in art.
When asked what inspires him, Dave he talks about his long-time best friend Anna as a big influence saying, “She’s become my muse, her style, energy and humour all fit my paintings.”
Dave, who often visits Anna where she currently lives in Spain said, “Alicante is such a beautiful city to spend time in, I can’t help but feel inspired there.”
The next exhibition Dave is taking part in will be the weekend-long “Celebrate Summer” event at Arts Bar Hope Street in Liverpool on 10 and 11 June, where Dave will be presenting colourful abstract pieces, influenced by the time he’s spent with Anna in Spain.
The event will also feature work by print artist Katy Hornby, floral creative Danielle Sexton, photographer Ilona Walker and edible horticulture expert Steph from Foru Plants.
As Dave prepares for his graduation and the new exhibition, he insists he doesn’t regret studying a practical subject but knows that creating art during the pandemic convinced him to follow his dreams.
Dave feels lucky that he’s found his passion and says, “You only live once, so you have to try to find a way to do what you love”.
You can see more of Dave’s work on Instagram at @daveturnerart 
and more information about his new exhibition is available at the curator’s website Lauramccannphotos.com
Image: Laura McCann
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