Artist Profile: Jerrold Turner

Jerry Turner's artwork demonstrates his brilliant sense of humor, especially with titles like Eyeball Farm, Anemenia Peniatas and Neanderthal Man with Alien Goddess. Turner is having fun painting a variety of subjects in oil. “I get goofy ideas,” he says. His fascination with aliens has to do with his theory that Homo sapiens is a mix of Neanderthal man and aliens.

Having earned a master's in engineering in 1958, Turner started his own business in 1961. He began painting a few years later but it wasn't until the early '80s that Turner got serious about art. For decades he managed to run his business and paint plein air, meaning painting out doors. Turner's wife helped run the business and raised their three children, the oldest of whom is 50.

Six years ago, Turner bought a house near Benicia's Arsenal district, removed the inner walls and made an art studio. He gave up his business just last year but keeps busy with DaGroup, the Benicia Plein Air group he started. “I call them the kids. We go out and paint together, play together, party together.” Turner also teaches plein air painting at Arts Benicia and has mentored many of Benicia's plein air artists.

Turner, 77, credits his longevity to yoga, bike riding, eating well, loving a lot and having a happy, open disposition. “If you don't want to grow old, hang out with young people.”

location: 640 East L St.