Hi everyone! Today my artist spotlight is on Stacey Watkins. I discovered Stacey Watkins a little over a month ago, while on a family reunion in Granbury, TX.
The lovely little Granbury-
Taking some time between festivities to explore, Jordan and I went downtown to look around at the different shops, and were lucky enough to find a small art gallery!
For its size it had a pretty good variety of art. After looking through what we thought was the entirety of the gallery, the owner led us back into a seperate room. All along the room were these clear glossy resin wall sculptures with specks of color throughout. Initially I wasn't overly impressed- I thought they were interesting, but not groundbreaking or overly exciting. But then the owner surprised us by turning off the lights, explaining to us that the pieces soak up light, and then once the room is dark emite their colors and images. The colors slowly emerged and set the room glowing with a variety of abstract images. It was awesome to watch these seemingly simple pieces slowly morph into their true likeness! Anyway, here's a short bio of Stacey Watkins-
"Stacey Watkins does not limit her creativity to one medium or theme. Her art like life is full of variety, color and magic. Primarily self taught, Stacey has had the opportunity to be mentored by several great artists who have influenced her enthusiasm to experiment with new techniques and mediums. Each piece of Stacey’s art is unique and will add excitement to anyone’s private collection. From plasma cut metal art to etched glass,
From murals to resin art that change color and glow with no light,
From intricate crosses to hidden images that come to life,
From guitars to special paints which change colors in the dark,
Stacey’s art is a reflection of the world of possibilities. "The art I have composed is a blend of phosphorescent pigments and resin. The medium I use is not common. My artwork changes in the dark and is able to glow with contrast of vibrant colors by absorbing UV light (black light or natural sun light). My artwork visually evolves and is re-born with each new day’s dawn of early light. The purpose of my art is to be an extension of my faith and a reflection of the Lord’s spirit. I try and let the Holy Spirit work through me when creating art. I hope to captivate imaginations and provoke minds to take journeys that have no spiritual exit."
"Arriving with Grace"
"When I Close My Eyes"
"Hidden Message"
"Wheel of Fire"
"The Scenic Route"
Looking at these pieces, it made me think a lot about the spritual imagery involved. It made me think about how in our lives we spiritually soak up light, whether through communion with God, the study of scripture, or though the love shared between friends and neighbors. I think its these times of absorption that we really grow as people and as Christians. And when the dark times come, this growth is often tested. During the hard times in our lives is often when we discover how spritually full our lives have been all along. Seeing those pieces change and shift in the dark until they were glowing emblems of beauty made me think about how God intended us to be- a light to the world. We may look ordinary from the outside, maybe not overly impressive at first glance. But during dark times, I think the world will be impressed by our shining beauty. Recently, my parent's preacher lost his young son, and seeing the way that he is handling the situation reminded me of these brilliant sculptures. He has leant on God at every turn, and has continued to serve those around him despite his extremely difficult circumstance.
I strive to be like these pieces. I hope that, like them, I will shine when the darkness comes.
