Local Artist: Graham Watts Original Art Vancouver To Whistler
More About Canadian Artist: Graham Watts (Vancouver To Whistler, BC)
All right, ready to dive in. This week, we're tackling Ram Watts. - Well, I like Watts. I'm excited to dig into his work. - Yeah, he's a Canadian artist and his stuff really captures that British Columbia energy, you know, like from the city vibes to those incredible landscapes. - We're talking about those bustling Vancouver scenes. Alongside those like peaceful, majestic, Whistler mountain scapes he does. - You got it. And you know me always up for a little behind the scenes action, we've got his website and artist statement, which I think will be super insightful. - Perfect. Love getting that peek behind the curtain, seeing what makes an artist tick. - For sure. So first thing that struck me, Watts finds inspiration in these like totally opposite environments. On the one hand, he talks about Vancouver and it's like rhythm and harmony, you know, finding creativity right there in the city's buzz. - It's so interesting how he takes that urban energy and puts it onto the canvas. Like tick urban flow, for example. I don't know if you've seen that one. - Urban flow, oh yeah, one of my favorites. It's like, he took those old Impressionist cityscapes, you know, those Parisian street scenes and made them totally modern, totally West Coast. - Totally. That connection to Impressionism is spot on. But then even though he clearly gets energized by the city, he also talks about how Whistler really speaks to him. - Yeah. And not just the landscape itself, he mentions how the people there inspire him. He says they represent truly living. Makes you think what does truly living even mean to Watts and how does he show that through his art? - Such a good question. I think for him, it's about connecting to something bigger than yourself, you know, whether that's nature's beauty or the city's energy. And we see that reflected in his art, this kind of duality. - So it's deeper than just what he paints. It's the why behind it, right? He's drawn to these places and people that have a certain something a zest for life maybe. And he wants to like translate that onto the canvas. - Exactly. And I think that's key here. It's the core of his whole artistic philosophy. He's not just trying to recreate what he sees. He's trying to bottle the feeling that underlying energy that makes it unique. - Okay, I'm hooked. We've talked inspiration both urban and natural, but now I want to know about the process. Like he uses this phrase sculpting with a vibrant colors and textures. That just jumped out at me. - Such a vivid way to describe his technique, right? You get the sense of it being really physical, almost tactile, but he approaches painting. - It's like he could just said, I love to paint, but using that word sculpting makes it different. You know, like he isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, really work the paint and experiment. - And that totally lines up with how he talks about experiencing a place. It's gotta be firsthand. He talks about really immersing himself, feeling the temperature, taking it all in those sensory details. He says that all feeds into his art. It's not enough to just see a photo. He has to be there, experiencing it with all his senses. - Like that quote on his website, "Nature isn't just something you look at, it's something you feel." He's not making pretty pictures. He wants to capture the essence of a place, how it makes you feel. - Exactly, and that's how his work goes beyond just representing something. It becomes about emotion and personal expression, which by the way, it reminds me of a bunch of different art movements throughout history. - Oh really? Okay, now I need the art history lesson. What's the connection? - Well, this idea of capturing the awesomeness of nature, like how powerful and humbling it can be, it goes way back. Think like those crazy dramatic landscapes by Casper David Friedrich. Tiny figures against these massive mountains. Watts is tapping into that same sublime feeling, being totally overwhelmed by nature's power. - You know, I've always loved those romantic landscapes, but I never connected them to Watts before. It makes sense though, the way he talks about how humbling it is to just be in nature. He's not just looking, he's letting it wash over him. - And that's a really important takeaway. To connect with nature, you have to approach it with humility, right? Recognize we're just a small part of something much, much bigger. And I think in that realization, that's where the peace and wonder come in. - I love that. So we're seeing how Watts gets inspired by the city's energy and nature's peacefulness and how his art explores the connection between us and the natural world. But let's talk about those incredible animal portraits he does, particularly the bears. Those are amazing. - Look at all those bears or something else. The energy just jumps out at you. - Right, but then there's this dignity to them too, almost like a calmness. - You really feel like he's captured both sides, the power and this kind of vulnerability. - Totally. And I love how he talks about learning patience from watching bears in the wild. - You can see that in the art itself. Like he's inviting us to slow down, observe. - It's like a visual breather, you know? He actually uses that phrase in his statement. - And it makes sense, doesn't it? Like the world's so noisy, those paintings offer peace. - For sure. And it goes back to what you're saying about romanticism and landscapes. - Right, it's not just what you see, but how it makes you feel, that emotional response. - So we're connecting to the feeling. And it sounds like Watts really wants to bring out joy, peace, that connection to nature. - Exactly, I think that's what gives his art such power. It's not just about looking at something pretty, it's about remembering how amazing the world is. - It's like he's saying, look, if I can find this much joy in nature, maybe you can too. - Subtle, but yeah. And it speaks to that whole thing about people wanting more authenticity these days. - Big time, people want to feel grounded, connected to something real, and his work gives you that peace, tranquility, that connection. - And the thing is, he doesn't shy away from the technique either. Remember that phrase, scoping with colors and textures? It's not just talk, he knows his stuff. - You can tell the way he builds up those layers, it's almost like you can feel the texture. - Exactly, that attention to detail, that's what makes it captivating. He's not just painting any tree, it's that tree. - It's like he's saying, look closer, there's more to see here. And that's a good life lesson too, right? Appreciating the little things, taking the time to actually see what's around us. - 100%. And that actually leads us into those broader themes in Watts' work, that inspiration can be found anywhere, connecting with nature, and how art gives us meaning. - I feel like everyone kind of gets what Watts is doing, you know, like that need to connect with something, find some meaning in all the craziness. - Totally, and what I love is that he doesn't just, like, talk about it, he's out there living it, spending time in nature, soaking up the city, always searching. - And kind of nudging us to do the same, right? Like, open your eyes, find the wonder. - Yeah, you don't need to travel the world, just pay attention, that's all it takes. - It's funny, at first I was just like, wow, these paintings are gorgeous, but the more I learn about Watts, it's like there's this whole other layer. - It's a journey, right, that search for meaning, something bigger than ourselves. - Yeah, and art becomes this way to show it. - That's what makes it resonate, I think. We all want that beauty connection, a little peace of mind. - Exactly, so as we wrap up our Watts deep dive here, what's your big takeaway? - Hmm, good question, I think it's that reminder that inspiration is everywhere, it's gotta be open to it. - Love that, and Watts has definitely inspired me to do just that, slow down, appreciate the little things, you know? - Me too, and hey, maybe he'll even inspire some people listening to pick up a paintbrush themselves. - There you go, you don't have to be a pro to enjoy getting creative. - Right, painting, writing, whatever, just get out there and explore, and on that note, we'll wrap up our Grand Watts deep dive. Until next time, everyone, keep those creative sparks flying.