It is no surprise for an artist who deals with systems of information and classification, translating images both methodically and intuitively through drawing and painting, that a catalogue, ‘a complete list of things; usually arranged systematically’, would be unmistakably part of the process. Sea the Stars, published to coincide with a major exhibition at Talbot Rice Gallery in Edinburgh, encompasses an array of Alison Turnbull’s research materials, key works and installation shots to create a new constellation from which to see the artist’s work. As Ed Krcma writes in his essay, one of the things Turnbull’s work reveals is that seeing is part of a dynamic relationship, involving immediate reactions and sustained thought. ‘I never quite know what I’m looking for but when I find it there is a flash of recognition’, Turnbull says in the interview to describe her inspiration. For those familiar with Turnbull this catalogue captures her creative work at an exciting point in its evolution, while generally it embodies the flash of recognition that accompanies the beautifully resolved images and ideas. Published on the occasion of the exhibition Alison Turnbull at Talbot Rice Gallery, University of Edinburgh, 10 March - 5 May 2012.