Artist: May West

In this episode of The Artist Stoop, host Jillian Zepeda interviews UK artist May Watson. May is known for her bright and cheerful paintings, often featuring chairs and people. She started her art career full-time in 2020 and has found success in selling her funny paintings. May's latest series is a collection of 16 chair paintings, each with a different color palette. She also incorporates comedy writing into her work, creating phrases and words that add humor and playfulness to her paintings. During the conversation, May discusses her experience as an artist during lockdown and how she turned to art as a full-time profession. She talks about her journey with oil painting and how she overcame her initial fear of the medium. May also shares her inspiration behind her table series and how it led to commissions. The conversation touches on the use of color in May's work and her intuitive approach to selecting color palettes. May also discusses how her work ended up in the art collections of Robbie Williams and Rita Ora. The conversation concludes with a discussion about upcoming shows and May's studio space.

Website: https://maywatsonart.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maywatsonart/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to May Watson, a UK artist

03:12 May Watson's Experience at Art Fairs

06:29 Incorporating Comedy Writing into May Watson's Art

09:00 The Creative Process and Learning Curve

12:06 Using People as Subject Matter in May Watson's Paintings

14:29 The Playfulness of May Watson's 'Funnies' Series

22:56 May Watson's Journey as a Self-Taught Artist

26:19 The Table Series and Commissions

28:30 Exploring Different Directions

30:18 Intuitive Color Selection

33:48 Recognition from Robbie Williams and Rita Ora

36:05 Showcasing Artwork at Fairs

40:43 The Chaotic Beauty of an Artist's Studio

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