BIOGRAPHY
Linda S.Watson was born in San Mateo, California and has lived and worked in the San Francisco Bay Area almost all of her life. She is a painter and mixed media artist currently working and living in the Puna district of the Big Island. She studied Fine Art, Textiles and Art History at San Francisco State University. For over 30 years, her creations have been exhibited in many Bay Area solo and group art shows. Some of the galleries on the mainland that have shown her work include the Palo Alto Cultural Center, the Mendocino Art Center, the Olive Hyde Gallery in Fremont, the Main Library in San Francisco and the Overlook Gallery in Sonoma. Over the years, some of her fiber and mixed media pieces have won “Best of Show” at the Sonoma County Fair. Her works are owned by private collectors throughout America.
In Hawaii, Linda’s art has been included in shows at the Volcano Art Center, the East Hawaii Cultural Center and the Wailoa Arts and Cultural Center. She is a member of the Hawaii Island Network of Artists. Her work is currently represented by One Gallery in Hilo, Volcano Art Center and Volcano Garden Arts. She feels privileged to be part of the Big Island’s thriving art community.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Occasionally people ask me why I paint abstractions, despite my classical training as an artist. I paint abstracts because early on I discovered that there is infinitely more to art than just painting reality. Painting in this manner gives me the freedom to throw out all the rules. Abstraction allows me to tap in to my feelings, intuition and inventiveness, and work in a more spontaneous manner. I enjoy a creative process in which nothing is “wrong” and the joy comes from playing with materials, colors, shapes, ideas and design. I invite the viewer to share with me the intangible mysteries that abstract forms evoke.
ABOUT MY LAVA SERIES
The volcano inspires me. Before my first visit to the Big Island in 1998, volcanoes filled me with fear. However, after extensive research and many more vacations, I eventually become comfortable with the idea of living near one. I discovered a beauty in lava forms. I became enthralled with the myths and legends of Pele. Like an Impressionist painting, the landscape of this island shimmers with a rich iridescence which I try to capture in my work.
You can view Linda Watson’s work by on our online shop.