“I would love for people to remember how much fun I had painting and trying to bring smiles and joy with each piece,” says modern Canadian artist Darlene Watson.
Darlene Watson is a modern Canadian artist who specializes in abstract paintings. She started her art career when she was 55 years old and just passed her tenth year as an artist. She used to be an R.N. before going back to school for Interior Design and getting her honors.
In the end, Darlene still chose to pursue an artistic career – a very successful one to boot. She has recently been selected for the cover of the Spring 2021 Issue of the Escarpment Magazine in Canada!
A Modern Canadian Artist Who Brings Joy With Her Imagination
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A peculiar artist in the making
Darlene grew up in the country just near Ailsa Craig, Ontario. She did all the things that a country child would do pre-internet which included helping with the farm chores, gathering eggs, having fun with cats, dogs, a horse, cows, a white rabbit that went missing, and making forts in the cornfield.
“Usually,” she recounts, “there would be a blanket on a barbwire fence that would create a tent for me and I would play, yup, with Barbie or color in coloring books for hours. There was a time also in that tent where I had dreams of becoming a clothes designer but alas I hated sewing. That could prove to be a problem.”
Making the prompt leap towards an artistic career
You are never too old to learn and start something new.
– Darlene Watson
Darlene knew as soon as she started interior designing that she loved to put room settings together, creating unique spaces and vignettes, and working with patterns, colors, and style. A client asked if she might be interested in creating a piece of art for their space. “Of course I had never done that and said yes I would love to.”
Jumping outside her comfort zone and trying new things are two special perks of Darlene. For instance, she just decided on the fly to go to Peru where she didn’t know anybody. And of course, making the jump towards an art career is another instance. “So there I am with a huge canvas and thinking, what have I gotten myself into. I am so very happy that I had the courage to try. I think that is all we can really expect of ourselves is to just try. If you go through life and never try anything because of fear you stand a great chance of missing out on what you were born to do.”
Imagine: a modern Canadian artist on the creative process
Living near the shores of Lake Huron since 2015 has really had a lot of influence on Darlene’s art. “Fall walks along the trails give me those gorgeous hues of crimson, gold, and deep greens that is almost black along with the ever-changing sky and lake colors. They all play a part in the palette that I may imagine in for the majority of my works.”
Darlene walks daily, bikes and snowshoes when possible. She also often takes photos of lines left from leaves burning into the sidewalk, tree shapes, and the colors of the changing seasons. They all affect her creative process in creating original pieces of art.
{ Time-Lapse Photographer Silently Observes Movement }
Breaking the rules the professional way
Darlene is currently working on a cubism-style series named “Beach Town” with each being numbered. She has completed 1 and 2 so far. Cubism started around 1907 and Pablo Picasso quickly became the most recognized artist of the movement. Darlene considers Picasso to be her major inspiration for this new series. “Cubism is very new for me but it is still following my style using shape, line, and color. I am very excited to venture into this new area of abstraction. ‘Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.’ I love that. Color outside the lines.”
To see Darlene’s latest artworks, visit Saatchi Art >
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What do you think?