ABOUT WILLIAM

William Watson-West in front of his paintings in his studio

Based from his Stoke Newington studio, William has now been painting professionally for over a decade. Having moved from Yorkshire to London, he continues to work with a bold use of colour and texture producing evocative abstract, predominantly acrylic paintings that offer a challenge to the viewer whilst maintaining a satisfying aesthetic inspired by his memories.

Having spent years in rural Yorkshire producing mixed-media landscapes inspired by his surroundings, his years of drawing from life and direct observation still filter into his work although it has taken on a new direction.

Graduating from Edinburgh College of Art he has since exhibited his paintings at several galleries in the north of England, including 108 Fine Art and the Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate. He has previously been shortlisted for the prestigious Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and the New Light Art Prize and has been selected for the Great North Art Show amongst others. His painting, 'Swinsty in Autumn' was the 2019 winner of the Best Picture Award at the 20th Anniversary Ilkley Art Show.

A selection of his work is available from Zillah Bell Gallery, Thirsk, The Limes Gallery, Weeton, Chantry House Gallery, Ripley, Sunny Bank Mills and online at Kate Preston Art. Or you can view his latest work here.

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

"As soon as I could hold a pencil, my parents encouraged me to draw and I have been creating art in some form or another ever since. For me it is an outlet for my emotions and although it can often be frustrating and challenging, producing a piece of work that I am happy with and that brings joy to others is immensely satisfying.

I am increasingly driven by emotional struggles and my response to memories, nostalgia, love and loss. Childhood memories, imprints of important moments in time and place and my relationship with them provides a rich and varied, but sometimes troubling source of inspiration. Supported by a foundation of drawing from life and direct observation my work is increasingly abstract, utilising bold colour palettes and intriguing compositions.

In a wider context, I strongly believe that art is incredibly important to the world and society; whether simply through beauty or its ability to challenge the status quo and provoke thought, providing answers to subjects and ideas that other things cannot, it provides the opportunity to reflect and consider things on a deeper and more human level."

FEATURED PROJECT

PARALLEL FORM

An exciting collaboration with new gallery, Parallel Form, this project completed over the course of six months was inspired by the writings of German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer. You can view the collection below - please contact the gallery directly for any enquiries.

'WILL'

100cm x 150cm
Acrylic on canvas

£2875

This painting is the first in a three-part series inspired by German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, whose work delved into the nature of suffering, desire, and the redemptive power of art. In The World as Will and Representation, Schopenhauer argued that all of reality is driven by the Will - a blind, unconscious force that fuels both natural phenomena and human longing. Life, he believed, is marked by an endless cycle of craving and dissatisfaction. Yet through art, music, and contemplation, he saw the possibility of momentary escape - a suspension of desire in which we become detached observers, immersed in beauty and freed, however briefly, from the tyranny of the Will.

This painting explores that inner force - the Will - through a dynamic interplay of tension and release. Deep indigos and turquoises create a brooding, introspective space, while flashes of light suggest fleeting hope or transcendence. The work draws the viewer in, mirroring our own urge to seek meaning in a world that resists clear understanding. Yet the act of painting itself offers a form of liberation: a surrender to instinct and intuition, echoing Schopenhauer’s belief that true art emerges not from reason, but from a deeper, unconscious realm.

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