Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Innovation made Watts The Citizen’s pick for 2020 artist of the year

Editor’s Note: When The Citizen started asking around who the Prince George artist of the year for 2020 was, Christina Watts was at the top of the list.
Christina Watts
Christina Watts, The Citizen’s artist of the year for 2020, poses for a photo in her shop. Citizen Photo by James Doyle/Local Journalism Initiative

Editor’s Note: When The Citizen started asking around who the Prince George artist of the year for 2020 was, Christina Watts was at the top of the list. Here’s why:

As the coronavirus pandemic shut down the world it became abundantly clear some artisans would not be able to continue to do what they do they way they'd always done it.

Those who performed for live audiences had those opportunities to entertain come to a sudden halt, for others who made a living selling their artwork, there were major obstacles set in place as nonessential retail spaces were shuttered.

Local artist and entrepreneur Christina Watts took a hard look at the situation to resolve the issue of continuing to offer a way to create art by offering online lessons. When her art supply sales halted because the supply chain broke she once again redirected her energy to problem solving by creating her own brand of paint that started by foraging in the forest for what she needed. 

"We were hit hard at both ends," Watts said.

Watts Art Academy continues to provide art classes and art supplies including Butterfly Forest paints she makes by hand. It all just looks a little different.

To create the paint, Watts started to import raw materials and heavy duty equipment.

"Then we went out and actually harvested a lot of local rocks this summer and that was nice because it was something I could do with my kids," Watts said. "We have a massive crusher so the rocks go through that."

The process is very intensive and Watts formulated her own binder so the paint does what it's supposed to do.

"So we started to produce our own paint and fall arrived," Watts said. 

Her paints are shipped across the world now.

"And that's been keeping us hopping," Watts said. 

It's become a social media event as people would video themselves opening their packages of paint on TikTok.

Watt is now offering online shopping, curbside pick up or local delivery as part of the new pandemic-influenced business model.

"So the online classes ended up producing a Colour Club," Watts said. "So our paint sets, created here, go out in the mail and people get an online corresponding class and that's doing really well and we have students all across Canada now."

Online paint parties and Christmas parties are very popular, Watts said.

"People can't get together with their friends right now so we're facilitating that environment as well as doing a paint class with them," Watts said. So lots of chatting while students are painting.

Watts started her career in accounting and finance and stuck it out for 17 years. During that time she met a local artist who she took classes with at Studio 2880.

Watts took classes with many different artists to learn all she could.

"There was lots of trial and error on my part," Watts said. "I was never afraid to experiment."

She explored water colours and then acrylics, mixed media and epoxy.

"I blew through all the mediums," Watts said. 

As Watts put more energy into raising her two children, she decided to make a choice.

"I just wanted to do this," Watts said. "So we set up the shop. I love marrying that passion for art with the business aspect of it."

There is an expectation of the type of personality that goes into finance and as time goes on Watts has let her sense of humour shine through as she explores that part of her creativity through a series of quirky videos she's posted for her friends to see.

Viewers of the videos come away giggling, with smiles on their faces according to their comments on Facebook.

"During this pandemic people need to be patient and kind and for God sakes have some fun," Watts said. "This time is like a gift - when I think about how much time I am getting with my kids right now - that's huge to me. They're not going to be home forever. It is what you make it."