Interview with October Feature Artist Olivia Watson

This Month’s Feature Artist is Olivia Watson, whose gorgeous, dreamscape-like paintings are on display through October.

In an interview with us, Olivia discusses themes in her work, which piece is her personal favorite, takeaways, and more!

Olivia will be having an opening on Thursday, October 12th from 6-8pm.

Your pieces often depict gorgeous nightscapes/dreamscapes with a focus on animals. What is the inspiration behind your work and/or this theme? 

I take a lot of inspiration from my own dreams, as well as folktales. My paintings aren’t usually based on specific stories, but they tap into that space, where we can crossover with the imaginary. In folktales, animals tend to have symbolic significance and are often more than what they appear. 

Who and what have been your most significant creative influences?

As I mentioned, dreams and folktales are inspiring in my work. Spending time observing my surroundings influences me too. I grew up in Oklahoma, so I love getting inspired by the very distinct landscapes there and here in the East Bay. A couple of artists that have been inspiring me lately are painter Naudline Cluvie Pierre and illustrator Ivan Bilibin.

If there is one takeaway you would like people to know when viewing your work, what is it and why?

I leave my work open to interpretation but I want to create moments where it feels like maybe you’re witnessing something intimate and magical. It’s a peek into the private lives of spirits and creatures. 

Do you have a piece that is a personal favorite or one that holds the most meaning to you? If so, which one is it and why? 

The space in Dearest is based on my backyard in my old apartment in Providence. Looking at it now, even though this is the view from where I stood a thousand times in mundane moments, it had a lot of magic in it.

5. How did you first learn about The Collaborative and what have you learned in the process of preparing for your opening?

I moved to the East Bay last year and I learned about the Collaborative when I was looking into artistic communities in the area.