{"Id":6641,"Name":"Jeffrey Watts","Biography":"Jeffrey R. Watts is a southern California native. Growing up in rural San Diego county with an artist father, Watts demonstrated an early aptitude for the visual arts. But it was competitive sports that held his interest as a teenager. After an injury cut short his budding career in professional cycling, Jeff turned his focus back to art, enrolling at the California Art Institute in Calabasas. Watts was soon asked to teach at the institute and began to work as an illustrator in the movie industry. However, Jeff\u0027s goal to become an easel painter would draw him back to San Diego where he started a small life drawing and painting studio known as Watts Atelier of the Arts (\u003Ca href=\u0022www,WattsAtelier.com\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ewww.WattsAtelier.com \u003C/a\u003E). Jeff\u0027s aesthetic sensibilities have long drawn him to the figurative art of nineteenth century Europe and Russia. His Atelier allows him to work regularly from the live model, grounding his work in traditional principles. Recently, Jeff\u0027s work has been compared to that of Nicolai Fechin, an influence he is quick to acknowledge. \u0022I never tire of looking at the work of Nicolai Fechin\u0022 Watts says, \u0022his work is the perfect combination of control and chaos.\u0022\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E Jeff\u0027s oil paintings have won numerous awards including First Place Portrait category and Second Place Landscape category from the Artist\u0027s Magazine, two consecutive Second Place Awards at the Salon International Exhibition, an Honor Award and an Award of Exceptional Merit from the Portrait Society of America, 3 Awards of Excellence from Oil Painters of America and 3 Top 100 Awards from Arts for the Parks among others. Watts is a regular participant in the prestigious Prix de West Invitational held annually at the National Cowboy \u0026 Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWatts has been featured in Southwest Art, American Artist, Art of the West, Western Art Collector, American Art Collector, Drawing and Workshop magazines. Jeffrey R. Watts is a Master Signature member of Oil Painters of America, a Signature Member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, a Signature Member of California Art Club, and holds membership in the Portrait Society of America.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EFor more information regarding the artwork of Jeffrey R. Watts visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.JeffreyRWatts.com\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ewww.JeffreyRWatts.com\u003C/a\u003E .\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ETo learn more about Watts Atelier please visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.WattsAtelier.com\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ewww.WattsAtelier.com\u003C/a\u003E and to read his blog visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http://wattsatelier.blogspot.com.\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E http://wattsatelier.blogspot.com.\u003C/a\u003E","Awards":null,"HasAlbums":false,"HasPortraits":true,"HasRelationships":false,"HasArticles":false,"HasDepictedPlaces":false,"HasLetters":false,"HasLibraryItems":false,"HasProducts":false,"HasSignatures":false,"HasVideos":false,"HasMapLocations":true,"TotalArtworks":33}