Lydia Watson's authenticity, from her early days sketching comic strips and doodling on napkins, Lydia always found joy in visual storytelling. A pivotal moment in High School became exciting, turning every lesson into an opportunity that was impossible to ignore. When a painting celebrating her Black identity sparked controversy, it ignited a determination that challenged her work. Years later, during her first pregnancy, she returned to painting with renewed purpose, transforming motherhood into a catalyst for professional growth.

Today, Lydia is a full-time visual artist whose work has garnered both local and international recognition. Through WatsArt LLC, she continues to build a platform that not only showcases her evolving practice but also engages with broader conversations around sustainability and art advocacy. Lydia’s story is a testament to the power of persistence, identity, and the courage to create art that resonates on a personal and cultural level.

Her work is in dialogue with artists such as Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Toyin Ojih Odutola, and Alma Thomas, while establishing her own visual language of continuous line over atmospheric color fields. She situates Black interior life as a site of resilience, memory, and becoming.

 “I keep growing through whatever the experience.”