About me

CHRISTINE WATSON
Born in Southsea, Hants, Christine Watson studied at Winchester School of Art and the Slade School of Fine Art. She was recipient of the EA Abbey Award in Painting with a residency at the British School at Rome in 1995. Her work is held in private collections in Europe, America, Australia and the Far East and in public collections including the V&A in London, Peterborough City Art Gallery, and the National Print Archive at Scarborough Art Gallery. She is a lecturer at Barnet Southgate College and teaches private classes in Muswell Hill and Barnet. She is author of ‘Art Therapy’, published by Arcturus in 2017. Christine was elected a member of the National Association of Acrylic Painters (NAPA) in 2017, and is a member of the Printmakers Council. She was elected to be member of the Pastel Society in 2022.

Solo exhibitions

2024 Highgate Literary and Scientific Institution, Highgate, London
2017 Coffee Seeker, London N12
2014 Tintico Cafe, London N3
2014 Dexter & Co, Holborn, London WC1
2014 Butterfields Bank, London WC1
2012 Gallery K, Nicosia, Cyprus
2008 Moments in Time, Gallery K, Nicosia, Cyprus
2008 Moments in Time, Gallery K, London NW3
2003 Hydra-Kythera-Spetses-Syros, Gallery K, London NW3
2001 Island Architecture, Gallery K, London NW3
1997 Women of Rome, Gallery K, London NW3
1994 Pilgrims, Gallery K, London NW3
1991 Woodlands Art Gallery, Blackheath, London SE12
1986 The Original Gallery, Hornsey, London N8
1986 North Finchley Library, London N12
1986 Ring Cycle, The Hexagon, Reading
1985 Magic Circles, The Arts Centre, Christ’s Hospital School, Horsham
1984 Off Centre, Peterborough City Art Gallery

Selected group exhibitions

2024 IAS Print Exhibition, Highbury Roundhouse, N5
2024 The Pastel Society, Linden Hall Studio, Deal, Kent
2024 Society of Graphic and Fine Artists 103rd Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2024 Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2024 PMC Surface Challenge Exhibition, Barbican Library, London,
2024 Pastel Society 125th Open Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2023 Home, ArtCan Exhibition, Downstairs at the Department Store, Brixton
2023 Southbank Printmakers Mini Print Exhibition, Gabriels Wharf, SE1 9PP
2023 Christmas Exhibition, Parndon Mill, Harlow, Essex
2023 Guildford House Open Exhibition, Guildford, Surrey
2023 Small but Mighty, Bankside Gallery, London
2023 Printmakers Inc, Haverford Hub, Haverford West, Wales
2023 Inspired By, PMC exhibition, Emma Mason Gallery, Eastbourne
2023 Spot the Artist 2023, Porthmeor Sudios, St Ives
2023 Royal West of England Academy Open Exhibition, Bristol
2023 Ironbridge Fine Arts Printmaking Open Competition, Ironbridge, Shropshire. Permajet Prizewinner, Cranfield Prizewinner
2023 Royal Society of Printmakers/Etchers International Open Competition, Bankside Gallery, London
2023 Chelsea Art Society Annual Exhibition, Chelsea Town hall, London
2023 Enigma, The Gallery at Holt, Holt, Norfolk
2023 The Society of Woman Artists Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London SW1
2023 IAS Spring Exhibition, Stoke Newington Library, London N16
2023 The Pastel Society Exhibition 2022, Mall Galleries, London SW1.
2023 Thinking for Printing, PMC exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London, SE19JB. John Purcell paper prizewinner
2022 Spot the Artist 2019, Porthmeor Sudios, St Ives
2022 Surface and Depth, Mandells Gallery, Elm Hill, Norfolk, NR3 1NH
2022 Printmakers Inc, Haverford Hub, Haverford West, Wales
2022 Printmakers Inc, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, Wales
2022 Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair
2022 Winners/Prizewinners Exhibition 2020-22, Mall Galleries, London, SW1
2022 The Society of Woman Artists Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London SW1
2022 IAS Spring Exhibition, The Original Gallery, London N8
2022 The Pull of the Prints, Linden hall Studio, Deal, Kent
2022 The Society of Graphic Fine Artists Exhibition 2022, Mall Galleries, London SW1.
2022 The Pastel Society Exhibition 2022, Mall Galleries, London SW1. Elected to be member of the Pastel Society
2021 Fusion, The Gallery at Holt, Holt, Norfolk
2021 Spot the Artist 2019, Porthmeor Sudios, St Ives
2021 IAS 80th Anniversary Exhibition, The Espacio Gallery, Shoreditch, London E2
2021 The Society of Woman Artists Annual Exhibition
2021 The Northern Line, Highgate Scientific and Literary Institution, Pond Square, London N6
2021 Ecologies of Change, Royal Overseas League, Park Place, St James, London SW1A 1LR
2021 Southbank Printmakers Mini Print Exhibition, Gabriels Wharf, SE1 9PP
2021 Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair
2021 The Pastel Society Exhibition 2021, Mall Galleries, London SW1, Schmincke Prize Winner
2021 Incognito, Royal Overseas League, Park Place, St James, London SW1A 1LR
2020 The Society of Woman Artists Annual Exhibition
2020 The Discerning Eye
2021 Pastels,The Gallery at Holt, Holt, Norfolk
2020 Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair
2020 The Art of Printmaking, Hertford Theatre, Hertford
2020 Time, Printmakers Council Exhibition, Highgate Literary &Scientific Institution, London N8
2020 Printmakers Council Archive, Scarborough Art Gallery, North Yorkshire
2020 The Pastel Society Exhibition 2020, Mall Galleries, London SW1
2019 IAS Autumn Exhibition, Stoke Newington Library, London N16
2019 Spot the Artist 2019, Porthmeor Sudios, St Ives
2019 IAS Summer Exhibition, Stoke Newington Library, London N16 (prize-winner)
2019 Mini Prints, Printmakers Council Exhibition, Scarborough Art Gallery
2019 NAPA Summer Exhibition The Crypt Gallery, St Ives, Cornwall
2019 Spring Showcase, Artsdepot, London N12
2019 Primavera, Barbican Library Gallery, The Barbican, London
2019 Journeys, Printmakers Council Exhibition, Oxmarket Gallery, Chichester
2019 Journeys, Printmakers Council Exhibition, Jack House Gallery, Portsmouth
2019 Journeys, Printmakers Council Exhibition, London Print Studio, London, W8
2019 The Pastel Society Exhibition 2019, Mall Galleries, London W1
2018 Printmakers Council Archive, Scarborough Art Gallery, North Yorkshire
2018 Incognito, Royal overseas League, Park Place, St James, London SW1A 1LR
2018 IAS Autumn Exhibition, The Original Gallery, London N8
2018 50:50, Highgate Scientific and Literary Institution, Pond Square, London N6
2018 Memory, Royal overseas League, Park Place, St James, London SW1A 1LR
2018 Printmaking Exhibition, Hampstead School of Art, London NW3
2018 IAS Spring Exhibition, Stoke Newington Library, London N16
2018 Summer Salon, Islington Arts Factory, London N7
2018 National Acrylic Painters Association Summer Exhibition, St Ives
2018 The Pastel Society Exhibition 2018, Mall Galleries, London W1
2018 The Impact of Buildings, Allies & Morrison, Southwark, London SE1
2018 Hampstead Arts Council, Central St Giles, London WC2
2017 The Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London W1
2017 East Finchley Arts Festival, London N2
2017 Suraya Arts, Framers Gallery, London WC1
2017 Summer Salon, Islington Arts Factory, London N7
2017 Reflections, Ply Gallery, Hornsey Town Hall, London N8
2017 Printmaking Exhibition, Hampstead School of Art, London NW3
2017 Printmakers Council Archive, Scarborough Art Gallery, North Yorkshire
2017 Print City, Morley Gallery, London SE1
2017 Mini Print Exhibition, Morley Gallery, London SE1
2017 Making a Mark, Scarborough Art Gallery, North Yorkshire
2017 IAS Summer Exhibition, The Espacio Gallery, Shoreditch, London E2
2017 IAS Autumn Exhibition, The Original Gallery, London N8 (prize-winner)
2017 IAS Autumn Exhibition, Ply Gallery, Hornsey Town Hall, London N8
2017 Hackney Arts Hub, Stoke Newington Library, London N16
2017 First Edition, Linden Hall Studio, Deal, Kent
2017 EFO Artists Open House, London N2
2016 Hampstead School of Art, London NW3
2016 The World About Us, Stephens House, London N3
2016 The Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London W1
2016 Summer Salon, Islington Arts Factory, London N7
2016 IAS Summer Exhibition, The Espacio Gallery, Shoreditch, London EC2
2016 IAS Autumn Exhibition, The Original Gallery, London N8
2016 EFO Artists Open House, London N2
2016 East Finchley Arts Festival, London N2
2016 Breaking Boundaries, The Original Gallery, London N8
2016 Barnet Open, Artsdepot, London N2
2015 The Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London W1 (Schmincke prize-winner)
2015 The London Group part 2, The Cello Factory, London SE1
2015 Summer Salon, Islington Arts Factory, London N7
2015 Rhythm 'n' Blues, The Original Gallery, London N8
2015 Proof, Phoenix Cinema, London N2
2015 Paint Camera Action, Phoenix Cinema, London N2
2015 IAS Autumn Exhibition, The Original Gallery, London N8 (prize-winner)
2015 IAS 75th Anniversary Summer Exhibition, Lauderdale House, London N6
2015 EFO Artists Open House, London N2
2015 Barnet Open, Artsdepot, London N12
2014 The Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London W1
2014 Summer Salon, Islington Arts Factory, London, N7
2014 Splashes, Wisps and Fragments, The Original Gallery, London N8
2014 Mini Affordable Art Fair, Keats Community Library, London NW3
2014 London Jewish Cultural Centre, London NW11
2014 IAS Spring Exhibition, Stoke Newington Library, London N16
2014 IAS Autumn Exhibition,Tthe Original Gallery, London N8 (prize-winner)
2014 EFO Art Fair, London N2
2014 Barnet Open, Artsdepot, London N12
2013 London Jewish Cultural Centre, London NW11
2013 IAS Autumn Exhibition, The Original Gallery, London N8
2013 IAS Spring Exhibition, Stoke Newington Library, London N16
2013 EFO Art Fair, London N2
2013 Cycles, Highgate Literary & Scientific Institution, London N6
2013 10x10, Phoenix Cinema, London N2
2012 London Jewish Cultural Centre, London NW3
2012 Take Six, Artisan Gallery, London NW9
2012 Phoenix Cinema, London N2
2012 EFO Open House, London N2
2011 EFO Open House, London N2
2011 Small is Beautiful, Artsdepot, London N12
2011 Lights Up, Phoenix Cinema, London N2
2010 Phoenix Cinema, London N2
2010 EFO Open House, London N2
2010 Barnet Open, Artsdepot, London N12
2010 Lost Heritage, Gallery K, Nicosia, Cyprus
2010 Lost Heritage, Gallery K, Athens, Greece
2009 Lost Heritage, Gallery K, London NW3
2009 Koukan Gallery, London N10
2009 Phoenix Cinema, London N2
2009 Lost Heritage, Melina Mercouri Hall, Nicosia, Cyprus
2009 EFO Open House, London N2
2008 International Art Fair, Royal College of Art, London W1
2007 EFO Open House, London N2
2006 EFO Open House, London N2
2006 Angels, Gallery K, London NW3
2006 EFO Art Fair, London N2
2005 Berthold Gallery, London N3
2005 EFO Art Fair, London N2
2004 Maternity, Hotel St Raphael, Limassol, Cyprus
2004 Maternity, Galley K, Nicosia, Cyprus
2004 EFO Art Fair, London N2
2003 Green Line – Cyprus 1974-2001, War Museum, Athens, Greece
2003 East Finchley Arts Festival, London N2
2002 Maternity, The Errikos Dynan Hospital, Athens, Greece
2001 Green Line – Cyprus 1974-2001, Gallery K, Nicosia, Cyprus
1998 Maternity, Gallery K, London NW3
1995 Small is Beautiful, Flowers East, London E8
1994-02 Kiss exhibitions, Gallery K, London NW3
1994 The Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London W1
1994 Small is Beautiful, Flowers East, London E8
1992 Travellers in Greece, Gallery K, London NW3
1992 Merz Contemporary Art, London W8
1992 Geffrye Museum, London E2
1991 The Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London W1
1991 A View of the New, Royal Over-Seas League, London W1
1982 Stowells Trophy, Royal Academy, London

Since her residency at the British School at Rome, Christine's work has investigated the cities, towns and villages of the Mediterranean region, from Italy to Greece and Morocco. Here the built environment is characterized not so much by individual buildings as by walls, doorways and windows, and specifically the spaces between them in the form of passages and alleyways. These surfaces merge in a sophisticated urban continuum, bearing the marks and traces of centuries of habitation.
Christine works in a variety of media, from oils and acrylics to print, but her core enthusiasm is for working with pastels, which best conveys the atmosphere of her subject matter. Christine’s camera is her sketchbook, with photographs representing the starting point for each work, and the composition is gradually pared back to reveal its essential qualities – what is missing is as significant as what remains. The work is intended to provoke the imagination: What is around the corner? What is behind the door? And who has just walked past?
Typically, each pastel takes several weeks of work, with the image gradually coaxed into being through an intense and obsessive exploration of colour and tone – -the end result is always uncertain.