Meet the Artist
Well, Hello! Let me introduce myself. My name is Cherith "Cheri" Turner and I presently live in Central Florida. I grew up in the rural area of Western New York on a dairy/poultry farm (Cackleberry Farm). It was a family farm where three generations teamed together to make it all work. My grandfather was the poultry farmer but professionally he was a commercial artist. He drew the pictures of autos for the car advertisements, illustrated some books and whatever else was needed by the customers of the ad agency at the time. He was very talented and he took me out on Sunday afternoons, into the back roads, where we would stop along the road and sketch what we saw. My sketches were definitely not the greatest but the time that we spent together was priceless. He was teaching me art concepts and to appreciate the beauty around us.
My father was the dairy farmer and, although he was artistic in his own right, he was happiest in the barn, singing to the cows or out driving the tractor around the farm. My mother raised 3 girls and taught us to cook, sew, take care of a house, etc. The greatest thing of all was just learning how to work together as a family.
I grew up and eventually had a family of my own. I took what I had learned at my mother's side by cooking and taking care of my family. I had learned how to sew on an old Singer treadle sewing machine. I made the clothes for my three children and for myself (completely wearing out a sewing machine in the process). This love of working with fabric spread to quilting as I started to make quilts for the children.
In 2001 I attended a retreat with some friends and I did my "own thing" by creating my first "art quilt". I had a blast by creating my own picture out of fabric and thread. I was hooked. I created several more before I met another textile artist, Karen Sienk, and she introduced me to thread painting. Each piece that I turned out from that point, seemed to get more and more detailed and I learned something new with each piece. The latter part of that year I purchased a Gammill longarm machine to be able to quilt my own quilts. Soon after I started quilting for family and friends.
I moved to Florida in 2005 to be closer to my grandchildren and the quilting continued but at a much slower pace. I now had a full time job that did not allow me as much time to create. But in 2018 I was able to retire and again resume my creating. I now find myself quilting for others as well as making art quilts. Each one seems to be a little different as I am learning new techniques and am finding ways to incorporate them into my art. I have taught classes at quilt guilds and quilt shops as well as just showing my work through trunk shows at different locations when asked. I love to share how to create with the "No Rules" philosophy. Try new things and find what really works for the artist within you.
My days now you might find me outside painting fabric to use in an upcoming art piece, custom quilting a quilt for a client or just enjoying life with my family. My family has grown and now I have 11 (soon to be 12) grandchildren. That is a lot of quilts to make.
My words to you would be to not say that you can never do something. Be brave and go for it. I have had ladies come into class and say that they can not do it and later on they are screaming with delight that not only are they doing what they thought they could not do, but they are totally loving it. It will all take practice but you will never know unless you try. Give it a shot and find out what talent you have within, waiting to get out.
My father was the dairy farmer and, although he was artistic in his own right, he was happiest in the barn, singing to the cows or out driving the tractor around the farm. My mother raised 3 girls and taught us to cook, sew, take care of a house, etc. The greatest thing of all was just learning how to work together as a family.
I grew up and eventually had a family of my own. I took what I had learned at my mother's side by cooking and taking care of my family. I had learned how to sew on an old Singer treadle sewing machine. I made the clothes for my three children and for myself (completely wearing out a sewing machine in the process). This love of working with fabric spread to quilting as I started to make quilts for the children.
In 2001 I attended a retreat with some friends and I did my "own thing" by creating my first "art quilt". I had a blast by creating my own picture out of fabric and thread. I was hooked. I created several more before I met another textile artist, Karen Sienk, and she introduced me to thread painting. Each piece that I turned out from that point, seemed to get more and more detailed and I learned something new with each piece. The latter part of that year I purchased a Gammill longarm machine to be able to quilt my own quilts. Soon after I started quilting for family and friends.
I moved to Florida in 2005 to be closer to my grandchildren and the quilting continued but at a much slower pace. I now had a full time job that did not allow me as much time to create. But in 2018 I was able to retire and again resume my creating. I now find myself quilting for others as well as making art quilts. Each one seems to be a little different as I am learning new techniques and am finding ways to incorporate them into my art. I have taught classes at quilt guilds and quilt shops as well as just showing my work through trunk shows at different locations when asked. I love to share how to create with the "No Rules" philosophy. Try new things and find what really works for the artist within you.
My days now you might find me outside painting fabric to use in an upcoming art piece, custom quilting a quilt for a client or just enjoying life with my family. My family has grown and now I have 11 (soon to be 12) grandchildren. That is a lot of quilts to make.
My words to you would be to not say that you can never do something. Be brave and go for it. I have had ladies come into class and say that they can not do it and later on they are screaming with delight that not only are they doing what they thought they could not do, but they are totally loving it. It will all take practice but you will never know unless you try. Give it a shot and find out what talent you have within, waiting to get out.
