

Darlene Watson
Hometown: Southampton
Based in: Southampton
Hometown: Southampton
Based in: Southampton
Hello and thanks for visiting me at TheArtling,
I am a Canadian Abstract Artist that works from my home studio space in Southampton, Ontario.
Abstract, bold, joy-filled, spontaneous, powerful and gestural.
Words to describe this contemporary abstract artist’s paintings.
They are one of a kind and pulled from her creative imagination.
ARTIST STATEMENT
“Abstraction in a painting is the emotional creative thoughts, ideas and hues positioned to initiate conversation and invite you to the artist’s heart”
Not all stories are written with words...
Sometimes it is with shape, colours and lines.
HER INSPIRATION
Of course living so close to a body of water the turquoise and deep blues, greens and neutrals in the sand, beach and trails are part of the inspiration for the artist’s paintings.
Darlene’s paintings are also pulled from her gardens and love of soft pinks in Peonies and the boldness of Clematis. Autumn crinkled leaf hues noticed on her walks are also part of a painting at some point. She gathers all of these ideas shapes of stones, ripples of the lake, cloud hues with violets and purples and of course the sunsets in her area. The golds and orange from sunsets and the deep forest leaf greens, and crimson are all part of her repertoire.
Colours, shapes and lines are often gathered from fashion to integrate later.
HER TECHNIQUE
There can be many layers of acrylics with ink, pen, pencil, charcoal and tea or coffee-stained print added to a mixed media creation of the artist. The majority of her paintings are acrylic with layers of swirls or brush strokes with various brush sizes and sometimes the artist’s hands or palms. Each of these movements adds to the growing depth of the work and the hidden illegible script or notes that sometimes are in the graffiti style that she often uses. With each of her paintings, the titles and the layers, you are welcomed into her world as she tells her story. Many of her originals are large-scale and vibrant. Bold thick acrylic in some areas with layers of complimentary hues or hues that surprise you when they are side by side.
You find yourself drawn into the art and its story and smile with the boldness of some of the colours she uses.
"Consistency in my art is following my vision at that moment."
What inspires you?
Shapes, lines and colours throughout natural settings.
Describe your creative process.
Imagined ideas placed on the surface. Shapes, lines and colours play a big roll in the new works. Often thoughts and ideas of another painting surface while painting the current original. Ideas are jotted down after a walk to the beach or along the trails and revisited at a later date. Nature plays a big roll in the creative process and the colours are often used in the season that is happening at the time.
What are 3 words that best describe your work?
Passionate Expressive Joyful
Who are some artists that have influenced your work?
Kandinsky, Kline, Mitchell, Basquiant, Monet, Klimt, Frankenthaler, Rothko, Kooning, Twombly
What is the most important tool when creating your work?
My imagination
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
Compete only with yourself
Where do you go for inspiration?
The northern natural vignettes that surround my home and of course Lake Huron.
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