Local Artist: Graham Watts Original Art Vancouver To Whistler
"Soul of an Eagle" Painting by artist Graham Watts
ready to dive into a world of color and get a little deep with me today. - Always up for getting a little deep, especially when it comes to art. - Right, so today we're gonna unpack this painting called Soul of an Eagle. - Oh, cool. - And you know, it's one of those things where it's like more than just a pretty picture, you know? - Definitely, there's always more to it than meets the eye, right? - And it's like, okay, so you've got this like hyper realistic eagles head and it's like looking right at you. - Move them. - Yeah. And then it's got these feathers that are just like exploding in blue and yellow and orange, even a little purple in there. - Ah, what a combination. - All set against this black background which just makes the colors even more like whoa. - It's like he turned the volume up to 11 on those colors. - Yeah. - You know the artist Graham Watts. - So that's what I was gonna ask. Who is this Graham Watts character and like what's he trying to tell us with all this color? - Okay, so Watts is super interesting because he's really known for this cool blend of realism and then abstract expressionism. Okay, hold up, explain that like I'm five because abstract expressionism, that's a mouthful. - It's a mouthful for sure, okay. So basically it's all about expressing emotions and ideas but not in a literal way, you know? It's more about like bold colors and textures and brush strokes instead of trying to paint something exactly how it looks in real life. - So like the eagle's head is like super realistic but then the feathers are all abstract and stuff? - Exactly, you got it. You can see that contrast and soul of an eagle like you were saying. - Yeah. - And speaking of those colors, I mean, they're practically vibrating off the canvas. What's the deal with that? - They're intense but I feel like they're there for a reason. You don't just throw in colors like that without some thought behind it. - Oh, totally, colors are powerful. They can like totally mess with your emotions. - Oh yeah, for sure, like blue always makes me feel calm. - Right, so Watts uses a lot of blues and yellows and those are often connected to like wide open spaces, the sky peacefulness even. And then you've got the pops of orange and purple, those bring in a bit of mystery. Maybe even spirituality, I don't know, it's like there's some magic happening there. - It's giving mystical eagle vibes for sure. - Totally. And don't forget that stark black background, it's like it's pushing those colors right at you, making them impossible to ignore. - It's true, it makes them stand out even more. - Like a spotlight on all that emotion. - Okay, so we've got this eagle symbol of freedom power, all that jazz, we've got these crazy intense colors that are like messing with our feelings. And then there's the title Soul of an Eagle, like come on, what's Watts really getting at here? - He's going deep, man. I'm not just painting a bird, he's trying to capture something deeper about the eagle's spirit, you know? That unwavering stare, those explosive feathers, it's all about that wild and free spirit. - It's like that feeling you get when you finally break free from something that's been holding you back and you're just like ready to take on the world. - Totally, it's like exhilarating. And that's the amazing thing about art, it means something different to everyone. - Oh, true. - What does Soul of an Eagle mean to you when you look at it? - Hmm, good question. I'm kidding this sense of like bold, fearless energy, maybe even a little rebellious. - I love that. There's definitely a sense of like breaking free from expectations in there too, right? - Yeah. - Like Watts is doing his own thing, blending realism and abstraction. And it's like he's saying, "I'm not gonna follow the rules, I'm gonna make my own." - And it works, it totally works. - Right, and those press strokes, they're so confident and free. It's like he's saying, "This is me, this is my art, take it or leave it." - That's such a good point. It makes you think like, what would it look like to bring that kind of energy into our own lives? Like, how can we be more like Soul of an Eagle in our everyday lives? - What would it look like if we all embraced that boldness and that freedom of expression? - And that's something to think about.