Though she is a native Daytonian, born and raised in Jefferson Township, Frances Turner comes from a family with deep roots in the American south. Turner incorporates that southern heritage—as well as her African cultural inheritance—into her quilts and dolls. Turner is a seamstress and tailor with almost 50 years of experience, and this also influences her finely crafted and detailed textile art. She says she has a love of “fiber and all natural things,” and often uses shells, beads and other found objects in her work. She has shown her quilts and dolls in many exhibitions in the Dayton area, including Women in Art: Unheard Voices, a recent show at Wright State University. Turner is an active member of a group of Dayton artists headed by Willis “Bing” Davis that produces Dayton Skyscrapers, an annual group exhibition held at the Schuster Performing Arts Center in downtown Dayton.