When Sheila Turner opened up her picture framing business – it was to make frames for her husband’s artworks.

While she herself is not an artist – she has now become a lifeline for Lismore artists and is providing art supplies to the Lismore artist community.

Sheila has opened a new shop in the Strand Arcade called Sheila Turner Art Supplies and Art Gallery.

The new shop is directly opposite her business Sheila Turner Picture Framing, which has been open for a few months now.  

“I am already selling art materials and although the shop is not fully stocked, I'm very happy to take orders,” Sheila said.

“I have products which are flood rescues from Premier Art Supplies – and the content of the paints are intact and at very reduced prices.

“There’s oil, watercolours and acrylic paints – as well as palette knives and varnishes.

“I am also hanging artists’ paintings, so please come and see me. The new shop will double up as an art gallery.”

Sheila said she will be buying more of the stock from Premier Art Supplies owners Peter and Maria as time goes on – and is now waiting for new stock orders of artists paper to arrive to sell.

“Premier Art Supplies used to be on Magellan Street and were flooded quite badly - and they won’t be coming back,” Sheila said.

“I had to rescue the supplies that I could. There was so much stuff after the flood I wished I hadn’t thrown out, but here’s a mindset that wants to get rid of it at the time – that it’s not bearable.”

Sheila has been busy with the framing business over the past few months – framing artworks for exhibitions and doing flood repairs for people.

“I’m a practical person – that’s why I started making frames for my first husband,” she said. “Then it became a way of making a living.

“I don’t have an artistic bone in my body, but I can look at colour problems and know what matches.”

Like most people, when the February floods hit, Sheila had enacted her flood plan and moved stock up to the upper floor of the Strand Arcade, as well as stacked things high in the shop.

“Then I couldn’t get home because the river was up, so I went upstairs with Nick the hairdresser and his mum Paula,” she said.

“Then the water started rising and didn’t stop I was horrified I hadn’t lifted things high enough.

“So, I lost lots of work – the water came six metres high in the shop.”

Sheila stayed up on the upper levels of the Strand Arcade until the water subsided.

“When we came downstairs it was devastating and took weeks to clean the mud.

“Now, in the shop, all my furnishings are metal and if it floods again, I will get a trailer and take everything away.”

Sheila’s shops will be open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm and Saturday 8am to 1pm.