Turena Austin discovered her natural artistic gift in her early childhood years when she began sketching with a #2 pencil and a ball point ink pen. As her passion increased she drew, painted and sketched more and more frequently. Turena’s ability and aptitude expanded as she later began to use acrylic paints and charcoal.

However, one of the most intriguing things about Turena, is that at the age of 28 (1989) she experienced a cerebral aneurysm. This left her vision so severely impaired that her ability to see any detail, depth or print was gone. She was left with double vision and the capacity to see only light-blurred shapes, along with other acute physical impairments. As a result of the aneurysm, Turena’s growth as a professional artist vanished. Turena spent the ensuing years in an obsessive journey to heal. Two eye surgeries later, along with the natural healing of her vision and visual aids, Turena was able to sketch again.

Determined that the trials and tribulations handed her were not going to be an obstacle in her life as a artist, Turena acquired a formal art education at East Tennessee State University. Here she became more comfortable with charcoal as a medium. She subsequently went on to study fine oil painting for 2 ½ years in a private arena. And thereafter, she formed Elite Art Studios.

Today, Turena’s medium of choice is oils, with a specialty in animals (she leans toward realism), however, there are numerous subjects that Turena is involved in painting and creating. Turena lives and works at her home in the restoritive mountains of East Tennessee, where she passionately enjoys the privilege of being able to live her dream as an Artist.