Hampton Watts

Savannah, GA

e submission. The Southeastern United States is ripe with a rich narrative tradition that speaks to the underlying complexity of family ties. This is made beautifully evident in William Faulkner's groundbreaking novel "As I Lay Dying," which chronicles the fraught tensions of a family venturing to bury their matriarch. My painting of the same name gives visual cues to the unique narrative, while simultaneously rooting it in a modern context. Traditional markers are removed and stripped away, focusing instead on the haunting allure of a figure laying amidst a corner slate of wood. Even the figure herself is gently lit as if asleep, drawing us to consider whether this is in truth a scene of death rather than something entirely other. As I paint in this traditional method I hope to create a tapestry of southern narrative in newly compelling scenes, portraying the south as something both beautiful and curious.

Artist Website

hamptonwatts.com