Meet Akilah Watts: Contemporary Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Akilah Watts and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Akilah, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Being an artist, for me has never been a choice. Every since I can remember I was heading down the path to become an artist. In college, this was one of the first questions asked to me and my colleagues. I remember thinking, why not art? While a mass majority of the populace is encouraged to take on career paths such as a doctor, a lawyer, an accountant, etc, etc My mind just wondered why not go after an artistic career. I thought about all those people with the same credentials competing for the same jobs and to me, it seemed like going after an artistic career would not only be the path that gave me the most joy but the one that had the most entrepreneurial potential.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am interested in depicting a black Barbadian experience. My work focuses a lot on my own personal experience as a black Barbadian Artist but I also touch on a more general Caribbean experience in some of my works. I use imagery such as fruits and vegetables I would have grown up seeing, Family photos, Barbadian folklore character(Mother Sally), seascapes and landscapes as well as many prints traditionally found on fabric in old Barbadian homes. My main goal is to instill a feeling of Nostalgia and or curiosity in the people who view my work. I want the viewer to be entranced in a style of Caribbean art that feels familiar but still relatable. When I started my artistic career I had no idea about the challenges it would bring. Yes, the phrases broke artist, tortured artist, etc, etc were often said but no one made mention of the actual challenges of being an artist. One of the biggest challenges I faced after college was having the inspiration to create. I went from an environment where I was surrounded by other artists and tutors who were willing to give constructive criticism and sit and discuss concepts and development to thinking I only had myself. Once I realized I could reach out to those same artists and create an open dialogue still, I felt less alone. A lesson I have learned is that while you love being an artist it is a business as well and should be treated as such. Another lesson I have learned is that once you continue working your career will progress. One opportunity always leads into another and while you may come to a time where it seems stagnant, continue working cause you never know what opportunities may come up or who is watching.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This pandemic has definitely made socializing difficult, I am based in Barbados, and before this, there were plenty of places to go and enjoy. If I’m planning an itinerary for a week it would go like this : -Day 1: would be a day to settle in and catch up. -Day 2: we would probably grab a bite to eat and a drink at Mojos. -Day 3: would be a beach day at Batts Rock beach. -Day 4: we would visit some of the art galleries and art exhibitions on the island. -Day 5: It would definitely be a day of driving around the island, we would pack the back of the car with drinks and snacks and just drive. While we would have a few places like the Animal Flower Cave, Bathsheba, and Cherry Tree Hill to visit, half the fun would be just driving around and seeing what we come across. After all the fun we would have drinks at a local bar we came across and later go out to eat along the south coast since it has soo many options to chose from. -Day 6 & 7: these last two days would be left open for any spontaneous things we wanted to do or places we wanted to go. Provided one of these days is a Friday I would suggest going to Oistins Fish Fry. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shout-out would have to go to my parents and my friends. My parents have always been in my corner and have wholeheartedly supported my choice to pursue an artistic career. When I first decided to go to college to study art, my view of what an artist could be was a tad bit narrow. My parents had a list of potential avenues for me to chose from and in doing so, they really showed me that they were behind me 100% and were willing to research and learn about what possibilities being an artist would bring. During college, I was blessed to be in classes with other artists who were, while not all of like mind, respectful enough to hear other people’s viewpoints. It made for an environment full of potential for growth. After college, I solidified a deeper friendship with 2 of the artist from my year that I consider to be my sisters by choice. When I was younger my mother always used to say “you will find your true friends when you are older, probably in college or after”. I never truly understood what she meant until I got to college. The funny thing is that while I solidified this friendship in college, I went to Primary school with one of them and Secondary school with the other.

Website: https://akilahwatts.wixsite.com/akilah

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stricklyartistic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Stricklyartistic

Image Credits
Akilah Watts