Watson Mere
Philadelphia, PA
When did you get your start with Art?
I have been creating art since I was 2 and never really stopped. Through the years my style has changed multiple times but after my parents purchased a desktop computer when I was in middle school I began to experiment with creating art utilizing Microsoft Paint with a mouse and I've been using this technique of creation ever since.
How would you describe your artistic style?
Since I am of Haitian descent my art is naturally colorful. Big hair and African features are seen in mostly all of my pieces. I also try to purposefully instill some form of content to get the viewers imagination going as to what the image means or says to them.
Where do you draw inspiration for your work?
The African diaspora. I take my inspiration from the love, struggles, happiness and pain of people of African descent. Most of my painting are of Black Women and I try my best to display her in her complete beauty, strength, resilience, passion, pride, and sometimes even vulnerable states. I'm also inspired to create an image of people of color that is usually not depicted within mainstream media.
What was the first art piece you sold?
The first art piece that I ever sold was to a local musician. The piece was of him playing his trumpet and although I didn't sell it for much it felt gratifying to know that something that I created from a mere thought in my head was worthy of someone spending their hard earned cash on.
What has been your most notable collections?
One of my most notable pieces would be "Something Beautiful". The piece depicts the side profile of a black woman the locs smelling lilies. Hanging from the woman’s hair is a Klan’s man. The piece has many meaning but one is that truly being at peace and loving your natural self over powers any form of hate. "care Free" is another notable piece. It shows a black couple walking undismayed through a crowd holding signs. The crowd and the signs are somewhat of a time lapse displaying the oppressive words against people of color including modern versions of these signs shown in the front. This piece holds many meaning as well but one of the main is "Same signs different time." Even the cruelest of these signs were seen as just and normal during their time of existence.
What are some of the challenges you have faced as an artist?
My biggest challenge has been actually getting into an art show. I've never been featured in an art show as of yet.
Who is your favorite artist?
My favorite artist is Jean-Michel Basquiat. His art is full of mystery as of what its meaning is and the fact that he rarely ever explained in detail the true meaning behind the piece allowed the viewer to use their imagination to make sense of this flare of creativity that they are viewing. His art continues to be an inspiration to creatives across the globe and ingenious fragments of his mind such as the "Basquiat crown" can be seen throughout contemporary art still to this very day, 27 years after his passing. The fact that he was half Haitian also plays a role as to why he is my favorite.
On Current Project:
"Google Search Beauty" is a series that I am currently working on that is personal response of me looking up the word "Beauty" in Google Images and seeing mostly nothing but images of women with European features. Although the women that I did see were indeed beautiful I wanted to show that the black woman in all of her natural being was just as beautiful as well. I felt that it was important to do because of the underlying but powerful effects of imagery, if a young girl looked up beauty and saw what I saw on Google there is no telling what kind of negative effect that might leave in her psyche about herself. I want the series to show the black woman that she is beauty.
What’s next?
Soon I will be working on a series entitled "Crown" that will be side profile views of black women with a multitude of different natural hair styles such as Afros, Locks, Braids, Bantu Knots etc. The series is all a part of my overall goal of reminding women of color that they are beautiful in their natural state.
What quote or mantra do you live your life by?
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve." - Napoleon Hill
For more information on this artist, please visit Art of Mere and follow on social media at @artofmere_