Detail of 50,900,000 (Emojis speak louder than words), digital collage, 144" x 36" ©2016 kristen m. watson — Detail of *50,900,000 (Emojis speak louder than words)*, digital collage, 144" x 36" ©2016 kristen m. watson

Hello Friends,

I hope you have weathered the winter, sprung forward, and are enjoying the increasing daylight
and temperatures.

I've spent that last few months making art in a completely different way than I ever have before. I've always enjoyed the variety and surprise of working with disparate materials, and I'm beginning to answer the questions, "Why did I decide to be an artist?" and "What do I want to say with my work?". I have begun to clarify and align my objectives and my practice of art-making. This has resulted in rather earth-shaking changes in how I make and present my work. Stay tuned!

I'm preparing for a solo exhibition opening May 6 at SPACE Gallery in Burlington. The "Digital Immigrant" (as opposed to digital natives- those who were born after about 1980) exhibit is composed primarily ofinstallation works that speak to my observations of transitioning from an "analog" life to a "digital" life and how that transition has changed how we relate to one another and experience ourselves and the world. More information on the "Digital Immigrant" show will be coming as the opening draws near.

I hope to see you at an opening, and thanks, as always, for your continued interest and support.

Northern Woodlands Magazine commissioned a piece to accompany an essay in their Spring 2016 issue. The essay, written by local writer, Charles W. Johnson, reflects upon the disintegration of a pair of old chairs set beside a wooded trail he frequents. The process serves as a metaphor for how, as we age and eventually pass, our purpose and how we see ourselves within our community changes. The Forest Grew Up Around Us is a acrylic, pastel, and collage on paper and can be purchased (original or archival print) on my website.

A panoramic view of the western side of my live/work space at Rensing Center.

It's been a time rich in observation, reflection, and transformation these past weeks at the Rensing Center. So much has unfolded I can't possibly describe it all. Here are some highlights...

The frog pond behind the Pottery (the live/work studio space in which I'm residing while at Rensing).

I've been gathering inspiration by observing nature, having important and stimulating (and often humorous!) conversations with fellow artists, and just sitting, literally, to observe moments unfolding and noticing the abundance and order of life.

This contemplation and noticing is such an important element in my studio practice, the work that comes from it, and my life. I watch the spiders, centipedes, and butterflies do their work, then I go to work.

A night's work for this thorny looking little guy.

Butterflies visit the Lantana plants daily in the Pottery garden.

I've been journaling about my own studio practice, methods, materials, etc. I've been experimenting with it all and indulging every artistic whim as it comes without too much concern for the outcome at this point. This place is overflowing with materials, both natural and man-made, ripe with potential. I've been trying to utilize as much as I can- like the giant ball of thread scraps I discovered in a cabinet, likely left by a former resident. With it I created the piece below.

Untitled, 2015, 18x24 in. acrylic, conté crayon, pastel on paper. ©2015 kristenmwatson

Untitled, 24x36 in. found thread scraps, centipede and snail remains, acrylic and pastel on paper. ©2015 kristen m. watson

I unearthed a pile of metal heating grates that were repurposed as stencils. I've been experimenting with spray enamel on canvas and paper.

Untitled work in progress, 24x24 in. acrylic and enamel on canvas. ©2015 kristen m. watson.

Work in progress, spray enamel in altered book, 9x6 in. ©2015 kristen m. watson

I've also spent some time on the weekends touring the area and meeting a great diversity of upstate residents. From a silent hike led by a wonderful yoga instructor, to the Drinking Liberals social group (quite a few Bernie fans here) at nearby Clemson University, to the Civil War re-enactors, the virtuosic fiddlers who carry on the Scotch-Irish and Appalachian music tradition, the colorful characters at the weekly flea market, and the members of Soapstone Church (a black church founded by freed slaves and stewarded currently by their descendants), I can say that I've experienced a cross-section of the complex place that is upstate South Carolina. I've posted photo albums on facebook so check it out.

The abundance (an word/idea I've been working with since my arrival) of insight and ideas I'll bring home with me is daily revealing itself, and for that I'm unspeakably grateful.