Tomas Watson (b.1971) is a British artist who has lived and worked in Greece since 1994. He studied at the Slade School of Art in London. In 1998, he won the BP Portrait Award and was subsequently commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery to paint the author John Fowles. This portrait is in their permanent collection. He is represented by the Jill George Gallery in London (www.jillgeorgegallery.co.uk) and Accesso Galleria in Tuscany (www.accessogalleria.com)

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

• Tomas recounts where his artistic journey began (00:02:11)
• The importance of mentorship (00:07:46)
• Tomas's experiences at Slade University in London from 1990 - 1994 (00:09:28)
• Discussing mark-making (00:14:42)
• Having the courage to trust your artistic vision and perspective (00:26:22)
• Tomas winning the BP Portrait Award in 1998 (00:35:33)
• Cultivating a creative community and creating collective dialogue (00:43:35)
• Tomas discusses his process of creating carborundum etchings and using various other mediums (00:54:01)
• Tomas speaks about the Sigri Arts Retreat, the artist retreat he co-founded with his partner, Cindy Camatsos, in Lesvos, Greece (01:10:56)
• Living alternative lifestyles, staying patient, and allowing oneself to grow over time (01:18:36)

www.artistdecoded.com www.tomaswatson.com www.sigriartsretreat.com