Obituary: Trish Turner
Trish Turner
Boston-born artist Trish Turner lost her battle with cancer on Oct. 16. From a young age in Canton to her final days in Hull, she delighted in and interpreted the visual world onto thousands of colorful canvases.
Trish graduated magna cum laude from Framingham State College in 1974, with a double major in fine art studio and art history. Since then, she kept her art alive with many continuing education classes. In the late 1970s, she interned at the Richmond Art Center and the San Francisco Museum of Art in California. While there, she created promotional posters for nightclubs and so-called New Wave bands.
On returning to Boston, she began working in amateur video production, shooting live music and other nightclub events. This work led her to more formal training in video production. An internship at Boston Post Productions in 1990 involved a decade of scenic painting, styling, propping, and set-dressing.
Styling credits include, among others, Jordan Marsh, Neiman Marcus, Elizabeth Grady, and Ports International. More recently, her talents have adorned the windows of Wellspring Multi-Service Center in Hull where she worked for 16 years.
As a scenic painter, Trish freelanced for several production and theater companies, including the American Repertory Theatre, Emerson Theatre, the Wang, and the Huntington Theatre. As assistant in charge for the Mystic Scenic Studio, she designed and painted sets for the Boston Ballet, Big Apple Circus, Disney World, Disney Cruise Lines, Children’s Hospital, Museum of Fine Arts, and others. In addition, she styled corporate sets for several companies, including Lotus, Digital, EMC, Coors, Talbots, Honda, and Sheraton Hotels.
For the past 20 years, Trish lived in Hull, where she focused on her own work. During that time, she exhibited at the Hull Lifesaving Museum, Hull Artists Gallery, Simply Smiths in Cohasset, and the South Street Gallery in Hingham. Trish also participated in many open studio tours in Hull.
Trish enjoyed painting and teaching with her “En Plein Air” students and continued her own studies of pastel and acrylic painting at the South Shore Art Center in Cohasset. Her work is on display in numerous private collections in Hull and beyond.
Trish was predeceased by her parents, Virginia and Patrick Turner, of Canton, and her sister, Judy Page of Jamestown, N.C. She is survived by her sisters: Deb Annese and her husband, Joe, of Scituate; and Ginny Turner, of Centerville.
Trish loved her many nieces: Melanie Legge (Bryan) and Angela Kelley (Gene), both of Scituate; Jessica Page, of Ohio; and Lillian Lowe, of Boston; nephews: Ian Lowe, of Centerville; and Zack Lowe (Tara), of Brighton; and grand-nieces: Maddy, Marion, Macie, and Ruby, and nephew Patrick. Finally, Trish leaves her large family of friends in Hull who supported her so lovingly through her final battle.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at St. Nicholas United Methodist Church in Hull Village at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 21. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hull Seaside Animal Rescue, Hull Lifesaving Museum, or Wellspring Multi-Service Center in Hull. Interment will be private.
Arrangements are being provided by MacDonald Funeral Home, Marshfield.