James Watts

Australian artist James Watts was only 12 when his artistic talents were first recognised by the Queensland State Gallery, who nurtured his creative skills by rewarding him with a junior art scholarship. Throughout his schooling, his career path remained clearly in sight; culminating with Watts securing a place at the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University; where he achieved a Bachelor of Fine Art, First Class Honours. Whilst Watts describes himself as a multi-disciplinary artist, he acknowledges that painting and sculpture continue to dominate his practice. With his work now found in numerous public and private collections across the world, interest in his work continues to grow. Everyday objects and materials are utilised thoughtfully in his artworks that insightfully respond to the way people connect and interact with both natural and built environments. In particular, Watts aims to raise awareness of these environments by highlighting aspects of human and environmental interactions. His work is developed and strengthened through numerous site visits and by utilising an eclectic assortment of materials, such as weathered discarded timber which predominate his current body of work. Through the use of diverse and contrasti...

Bachelor of Fine Arts with First Class Honours, Queensland College of Art, Brisbane.

Awards and scholarships:
2009 Griffith University Award for Academic Excellence.
2008 Griffith University Award for Academic Excellence.
2008 Flipbook Gallery Professional Development Award.
2008 eX de Medici and Griffith Artworks Award.
2007 Griffith University Award for Academic Excellence.
1984 Queensland Art Gallery art award scholarship.

2024 Sculpture Prize, Burnett Heads Art Show. 2021 Gimme Shelter, Woolloongabba Art Gallery.
2016 Woolloongabba Art Gallery, Brisbane.
2015 Woolloongabba Art Gallery, Brisbane.
2013 Homemade, Crucible Gallery, BCM, Brisbane.
2012 Down The Rabbit Hole, Art Factory, Berlin.
2012 Artcycle, Incinerator Gallery, Melbourne, Victoria
2012 Moreton Bay Regional art awards
2011 Woolloongabba art gallery, Brisbane.
Local Velocity, Brisbane Institute of Art.
Jugglers artspace, Brisbane.
Metro Arts, Brisbane Festival.
Moreton Bay region art awards, Brisbane.
Hassell Architects, Brisbane.
Gayden Lawyers, Brisbane.

2010 Small Works Prize, Brunswick Street Gallery , Melbourne.
Construction of Situations, Bari Festival, Brisbane Gas Works, Newstead.
Fall Out, Art Factory Gallery, South Brisbane.
Moreton Bay Regional art awards, Brisbane.
Small Works Prize, Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Melbourne.
Construction of Situations, Bari Festival, Brisbane Gas Works, Newstead.
Awkward, The Wandering Room, South Brisbane.
The Art of Wood, Redcliffe City Art Gallery, Bribie Island Regional Gallery, Qld.