Local artist Tom Watson III will be the featured artist on display at Emporium Wines and the Underdog Cafe in downtown Yellow Springs. Please join him for the opening reception on Saturday, June 16th from 5 to 7 pm.
Tom Watson III was awarded the first annual RAISE Award from the National Stroke Association in October 2011. The RAISE awards highlight individuals and groups who have impacted the lives of others through stroke advocacy and education. Watson received the Outstanding Individual Award in recognition of his efforts to
advocate for stroke awareness and prevention through his artwork (Watson had a severe brain stem stroke in 2005, from which his awarded artwork series is derived). The awards ceremony was held at the Denver Natural History museum in Denver, Colorado, and Watson was honored with the award by Henry “The Fonz” Winkler ofHappy Days fame.
The RAISE Award follows several exhibits showcasing Watson’s work over the last few years, including part of
his mixed media/screen print series, “Stem/ReAssemblage.” In 2005, Watson suffered a massive brain stem stroke. It was his passion for art that saved him. “While relearning how to write and regaining my fine motor skills, my artwork became a cathartic outlet to help me deal with the emotional turmoil and depression resultant from such a traumatic and life-changing experience.”
Watson’s recent work reflects outwardly the internal transformation that occurred during his physical recovery. While his mind learned to reconnect broken synapses, Watson deconstructed and then reassembled materials salvaged from earlier silkscreen projects to create a new body of art with a cohesive design. “I have used this as a chance to refocus and revive myself after battling discouragement, suppression, and other psychological hindrances both during my recovery and afterward.”
Watson will be participating in the second annual Cyclops Fest, also in Yellow Springs, a handmade arts and crafts fair taking place on Saturday, September 15th at the Yellow Springs Community Center.
Watson is also currently featured in the gift shop of We Care Arts in Kettering, OH (just south of Dorothy Lane/Wilmington Pike intersection), and should be in place for the next few months, along with other hand-crafted items. http://www.facebook.com/pages/We-Care-Arts/160621882682
In addition to his fine art, Watson also creates hand-printed, silk-screened T-shirts,
showcasing the Stem image inspired by his stroke experience and recovery. These shirts are available from the artist, as well as Urban Handmade in downtown Yellow Springs, Clash Consignment in downtown Dayton, and Decoy Art Boutique& Studio in Beavercreek, OH. Watson will also be expanding to other locations in the future.
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