Turner visited the island for six months in 1832, when he was in his 40s and at the height of his artistic career.
He is known to have made 100 sketches throughout the islands of the Bailiwick, which are now bundled in a book held by Tate Britain.
Art for Guernsey started a project to discover the works and influence of the artist’s visit to the island last year by launching the Turner Trail – a series of stations across the island with frames that mark the most notable locations Turner captured in his sketchbook.
Visitors to the Mansell Street gallery are encouraged to gain inspiration for their own artistic impressions.
The Finding Turner exhibition continues the journey of discovery.
‘We have built a good relationship with Tate Britain and hope to bring the sketch book to the island by 2026,’ said David Ummels, founder and chairman of Art for Guernsey.
‘We are effectively in step three of the project to have a full Turner exhibition.’
The gallery has selected four international artists to explore the island and produce their own take on the locations Mr Turner sketched.
Among them are Charlie McFarley, Damon Kowarsky, Gideon Summerfield and Merlyn Chesterman.
Their works are now hanging in the local gallery in the Finding Turner exhibition which will run until 21 June, along with other works from local schools.
‘We are not an art organisation that curates exhibitions. We are a charity and apply art as a strategy to create value for the greater good of the island,’ said Mr Ummels.
‘It could be educational or community value. It could be to promote Guernsey, to inspire, to entertain etc.’
The charity distributed a curriculum to all of the schools on the island to inspire pupils to learn about their cultural heritage and invite them to respond artistically to a brief.
This year, the students have produced work inspired by the Turner legacy.
‘His sketches were seascapes, landscapes, boat masts, things that you feel are preparatory war,’ said Mr Ummels.
‘Nobody knows exactly why he came here. He was on his way to France and probably got stuck by a mix of bad weather and there was a contagious disease he might have been avoiding.
‘He was a big traveller and we are very fortunate that he stopped here.’
The exhibition is part of a national programme run by Tate Britain and Mr Ummels said that people from the UK have been coming to experience the gallery’s show.
‘We are very proud to be considered part of the official programme for the celebration of the 250th anniversary,’ he said.
‘That itself has given us nationwide exposure.’
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