For as long as I can remember I have been a keen artist, although initially I trained as a veterinary surgeon in Edinburgh, and spent 10 years in general practice, in numerous places mostly in Scotland, before having any formal art training. During that time I painted in many mediums and worked in deep relief, I also completed a number of large murals.

I moved to France in 1992 where initially I studied decorative porcelain painting, moving on to ceramic work and subsequently to study sculpture and ceramics at l’Atelier des Beaux-Arts Henri Matisse,Creil for a number of years. During this period l lived in an isolated house in the middle of an ancient deer forest with my husband and three children. Here I spent long time studying and drawing the deer, animals which eventually came to have confidence in me.

I returned to the UK in late 2002 and set up a studio with Sonja Kuratle in Bradford on Avon in 2003, where I now create pieces in ceramic, working often with porcelain and glass. Some of my pieces are cast in bronze or cement/fibreglass. I am also part of a life group run by Sue Larner at Widcome Studios in Bath .

My work

I have always been drawn to represent what I see in the world around me, be it my interpretation of flora, fauna or the life form. I try to represent the character and mood of ‘ the beast’ rather than only a physical representation. This is equally true for plants, animals or the life models I work with. I enjoy storytelling both in art and with the written word, and have won prizes both for poetry and short stories. It is always satisfying to make people look again, or think again, about something. I love the challenge of 3D work, the infinite number of views, and planes to be found, and the constant investigating of new materials and their properties. This curiosity is probably my own worst enemy, always having ‘itchy fingers’ in the materials I work with, the surface finishes, or the style in which I work. I move between sculptural and decorative pieces and though initially they may seem very different they feed off each other enormously.

Exhibitions

2000 - With the Atelier des Beaux-Arts Henri Matisse, Creil
2001 - With the Atelier des Beaux-Arts Henri Matisse, Creil
2002 - With the Atelier des Beaux-Arts Henri Matisse, Creil
2002 ‘Salon Louis Legrand’, Verneuil-en-Halette where I won ‘1er prix du jury’ for sculpture
2002 ‘Salon du Printemps’, Senlis
September 2003 exhibited with ‘Widcome Life Group’,at Widcome Studios
December 2003 joint exhibition with SonjaKuratle at Widcome Studios
Winter 2003/2004 Exhibited at ‘The Art House’ Bradford on Avon
Spring 2004 Exhibited with First Sight Fine Art, Bath
2004/2005 Exhibited with ‘Anderson Gallery’,Burford
2004 Autumn/Winter ‘Caverne des Arts’, Chantilly , France.
2004 Autumn Sculpture Garden , Bradford on Avon Art’s Festival

Contact

phone: 01225 852284 / 079 85026968
email: stevewatts4321@aol.com

View a selection of works from recent exhibitions in the gallery