AAWatson is known for his darkly humorous works of art, which blend the old and the new for a unique, contemporary aesthetic. His pieces are both comic and cathartic, relatable and also approachable, and utterly mesmerising, with a bold, visual language all of their own. Here, we spend a day in the life of AAWatson, from working from home to being elbow deep in gold leaf.
MY ALARM GOES OFF…
Nothing happens before coffee and a quick scan of the morning’s headlines before retreating into my home workspace. Most of my work is planned out digitally and this is often the most productive part of the day for me to work on ideas scribbled in my notebook the previous day before other distractions get in the way.
HOW I STARTED LIFE AS AN ARTIST…
Probably an unconventional start to be honest. Leaving school, I turned down a place at the Glasgow School of Art to study accountancy instead … god that makes me sound really dull! The passion for art however never really went away and I have been a keen collector ever since.
After 20+ in the corporate world I had the opportunity to take some time out and start creating some of my own work. That was less than 12 months ago I could not have possibly imagined the level of response to my work and how quickly things have taken off since then.
MY TYPICAL DAY…
Not sure I have one as I continue to split my time between corporate and art worlds, so it could be endless conference calls trying to pretend I know what I am talking about, or in the studio elbow deep in gold leaf trying to pretend I know what I’m doing. Either way they both normally end with a large glass of wine, which seems to be the only constant.
MY MOST MEMORABLE ARTISTIC MOMENT…
Getting an email out of the blue from ArtRepublic (my first gallery) asking if I would be interested in working with them. It came on the same day I found out that I had been accepted to exhibit at The Other Art Fair (my first fair) so all round quite a memorable day.
THE WORST PART OF BEING AN ARTIST…
Gold leaf gets EVERYWHERE! In your hair, your beard and numerous places I don’t care to mention. And no matter how well you think you have cleaned up your workspace you will continue to find stray pieces for days, if not weeks, after.
THE BEST PART OF BEING AN ARTIST…
This may sound a little corny but making someone smile. Most of my work is derived from the inner dialogue that keeps me amused while stuck in terminally boring business meetings. When I see someone connect with my work and smile then I know, they have been there as well.
AFTER I CLOSE MY STUDIO DOOR AT THE END OF THE DAY…
I am normally planning my next trip. I love to pack the camera and get away as often as I can so I am frequently researching where to go next.
IF I WASN’T AN ARTIST, I WOULD BE…
A management consultant … more of a reality than a dream!
