Article content Darlene Watters runs Creative Watters Art & Design, featuring her original artwork as well as reproductions of her own work. She produces both art and pottery. ContributedArticle contentIt helps, too, that from a young age, she was encouraged to follow her abilities. In public school, she excelled in art classes and ultimately decided to pursue an art career.Article contentOriginally, she had hoped to be an artist, which led her to university for two years studying traditional arts. She then shifted gears to consumer arts, gaining a degree in interpretive illustration at Sheridan College.Article contentFormal training, however, only takes a person so far, says Watters. Learning how to properly preserve and display her art was another journey.Article content“Exploration, play, trial-and-error are the ways of an artist,” she says. “That and beating yourself up over every single piece at some point or another.”Article contentGetting in ‘the zone’Article contentIn the end, though, when it all comes together, Watters says you can reach a state she calls “the zone.” That’s the point when your focus is so total that time is not a factor. Ten minutes can produce the same results as an hour on a different day, or eight hours fly past and feel like 10 minutes, she says.Article contentArticle content“It’s very satisfying when art almost creates itself,” and she is just a conduit for the process, says Watters.Article contentOther times, she can get too caught up in her headspace to be decisive enough to move forward with a project.Article content“All the insecurities come out when you do something new. It’s not often we as creatives see ourselves or our art the way others do, from an outside perspective. Until you put your work out for the world to see, it’s a very personal experience. The only person you must satisfy is yourself,” she explains.Article content This watercolour by Darlene Watters is called “NS Waves.” ContributedArticle content“Once your art is out in full view, there is a tension, or innate fear and insecurity. The desire to be accepted and supported is natural, and sometimes you just must accept that you can’t please everyone.”Article contentOn the flip side, she says when her art speaks to someone, it’s one of the most rewarding feelings.Article contentOne of the pieces Watters created has this type of special meaning. After a Southeast African adventure with her best friend in 2019, she created a photobook. This was an all-women’s experience with 10 women, divided between two safari trucks. The other travellers loved seeing what she had captured each day with her big lens.Article contentArticle contentAfter the trip, Watters went through her many photographs and selected the best ones. This book was given not only to her best friend, but also to the other women on the trip.Article content“I was very happy to use my design skills to make something personalized, to share the memories,” she says.Article content Darlene Watters competes in an Art Battle in Truro. ContributedArticle contentWhat’s next?Article contentIn the future, Watters hopes to have more time to paint and make pottery. It’s hard to make art a primary income — even harder in this economy, she says — so having a day job allows her to pursue interests in her spare time.Article contentShe would also like to branch out to other galleries, either within or outside Nova Scotia.Article content“Staying in the public eye is half the battle for any small business, so having the time and energy to self-promote is a challenge,” she notes.Article contentShe would also like to continue a series called “Birds Squared,” a colourful bird series. These focused on the detail and personality of local birds she has photographed. She also plans to explore her Africa series as well.
MEET THE MAKERS: From photos to paintings to pottery, Truro woman loves creating
