Alison Watt - Ways of Seeing
01/25/22 • 76 min
1 Listener
Alison Watt has worked as a biologist on seabird colonies, an ecotour guide, has published a novel, a work of non-fiction and a book of poetry. She teaches painting online and in her studio on Protection Island, near Nanaimo, British Columbia.
Alison is interested in where science (especially biology) and art interface and her paintings are informed by landscape and botanical forms. As a self-taught artist who has been painting for over thirty years, Allison relates to both the dream of making the paintings we see in our minds, and the frustrations of mastering the tools, techniques, and mindset to achieving them. Alison is not interested in moral instruction but in illuminating new ways of seeing.
During our conversation, Alison talks about creative destruction, informed intuition, and how freeing it is to paint without brushes.
Takeaways
- Paint as if neither your time nor your materials are valuable.
- “We grow small when we try to be great.” David Hockney
- Our job is to have an authentic relationship with what we’re making.
- Take some time to pause and look back at what you have created.
- Visual imagery can slide underneath language right to the heart.
- Create a lot of opportunity for unexpected events.
- Every layer makes it better.
Mentioned
Dazzle Patterns, by Alison Watt
Triangle Island, Anne Vallée Triangle Island Ecological Reserve
Alison Watt has worked as a biologist on seabird colonies, an ecotour guide, has published a novel, a work of non-fiction and a book of poetry. She teaches painting online and in her studio on Protection Island, near Nanaimo, British Columbia.
Alison is interested in where science (especially biology) and art interface and her paintings are informed by landscape and botanical forms. As a self-taught artist who has been painting for over thirty years, Allison relates to both the dream of making the paintings we see in our minds, and the frustrations of mastering the tools, techniques, and mindset to achieving them. Alison is not interested in moral instruction but in illuminating new ways of seeing.
During our conversation, Alison talks about creative destruction, informed intuition, and how freeing it is to paint without brushes.
Takeaways
- Paint as if neither your time nor your materials are valuable.
- “We grow small when we try to be great.” David Hockney
- Our job is to have an authentic relationship with what we’re making.
- Take some time to pause and look back at what you have created.
- Visual imagery can slide underneath language right to the heart.
- Create a lot of opportunity for unexpected events.
- Every layer makes it better.
Mentioned
Dazzle Patterns, by Alison Watt
Triangle Island, Anne Vallée Triangle Island Ecological Reserve
Previous Episode
Jane Davies - Visual Language
Takeaways
- "If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it's not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That's why it's your path.” Joseph Campbell
- Fine art is essentially an exploration. You DON’T know how everything is going to turn out.
- Art is never easy – you must learn to live with the discomfort.
- Pay attention to the difference between inspiration (what gets you into the studio) and what your paintings express.
- People get stuck because they have a plan and stick to it, when sometimes you just need to NOT plan.
- Notice your defaults and then expand upon them.
Mentioned
Jane’s book, Abstract Painting: The Elements of Visual Language
Rupert Village Trust and The Sheldon Store
Musicians James Hill and Anne Janelle
Aboriginal artists Minnie Pwerle and Emily Kame Kngwarreye
Next Episode
Poppy Dodge - Color
Poppy Dodge is an abstract painter and a Color Maximalist who delights in creating harmony and balance using all the colors. Her work explores her obsession with stacking color and shapes and is influenced by modern improvisational quilting and abstract collage. Poppy says: "I approach painting intuitively and am entirely process driven. I like to think of my work as color celebrations; a stacking of playful color conversations joyfully stitching my life experiences together. We talk about newsletters, tea, the “Ladies of Yet,” and why it can be discouraging to make content solely to be seen instead of for
Takeaways
- It’s got to get ugly before it gets good.
- Persistence and obsession keep you going forward.
- Remind yourself that you’re on Instagram for opportunities and take your ego out of it.
- Add the “YET.” Don’t say I haven’t done that, say I haven’t done that YET.
- A big studio is great – but if you’re scrappy you can carve out a space anywhere.
Mentioned
Hand Yoga Club on YouTube with Heidi Parkes
Frankie magazine
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