Artist Four: James Turrell

James Turrell, an Arizona artist, works mainly with light and space.  By age 16 he had his pilot’s license and flew supplies into remote mine sites, he also worked as an aerial cartographer.  In 1965, Turrell received a BA from Pomona College in perceptual psychology.  While in college he also studied mathematics, geology and astronomy, in 1966 he also received a MA degree in art from Claremont Graduate School.  After getting his degree from Claremont, Turrell began to experiment with light.  This was during the time when the Light and Space group of artists was growing in recognition.  He is best known for his work in the Roden Crater, this is different than most of his work because in the crater he has created a naked-eye observatory.  Most of James Turrell’s work encloses the viewer to control their perception of light.  He is also known for his light tunnels and projections that seem to have mass and weight.   His art is not the conventional paint on canvas or pencil on paper, he plays with light and how the viewer perceives it.  This style of art is not what many art enthusiasts expect when going to a gallery, but I find it to be a refreshing break from the norm, allowing a different and new experience each time.