| Richard Jesse Watson |
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As a child, Richard Jesse Watson loved to draw pictures that he could immerse
himself in. Today, his inspired creations beckon the observer to enter into the
scene. Watson has won several prestigious national awards for illustrating children's
books, and his imaginative art can be seen in the new book, One Wintry Night, by
Ruth Bell Graham, wife of evangelist Billy Graham.
Watson grew up in California. He was the son of an artist mother who loved abstractionism and a physicist father who preferred realism. Watson was fascinated by their diverse viewpoints and weighed the merits of both as he went on to study art at Pasadena City College and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. He continued his studies during an extensive art history tour of Europe, where he was profoundly moved by the inspiring cathedrals and museums. As an artist with a young family to support, Watson supplemented his earning with a wide variety of occupations before eventually taking a job as an illustrator for Hallmark cards. Cherishing each new experience, he continued to sketch while studying art on his own. He dreamed of illustrating children's books; a dream he has realized with great success. Watson's imaginative paintings have been exhibited in galleries across the country, and he has had several one-man shows. Borrowing the magical colors of delicate rainbows and dramatic sunsets, Watson paints with an unrestrained joy. "I paint for the child inside me - that true, unpretentious person who meets the world with wonder and awe and acceptance." |
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