The Woman, behind the art, and in front of it.
HOW
I am either trying to control things or totally letting go. I paint with my fingers, tools, and brushes. I pour, smear, smack, scratch, sand, remove, peel, press, and adhere paint and materials atop stretched canvas. With precision, I also paint controlled lines, outlining images I find within the textures and materials. I then like to take paintings out of their traditional setting; either chop them up, paint over them repeatedly, or destroy and put them back together. Sometimes they end up beautiful, sometimes not.
WHO
It is the process of creation that I get lost in. I often paint in the middle of the night, when the world feels quiet. I am an Artist, a Writer and a Registered Nurse. Each art piece has an accompanying written story that ranges from addressing painful human experiences to clever and whimsical stories about invented fish. My art continues to evolve in line with my own personal growth and healing. I live in Idaho. I have 3 dogs, and a very messy art studio.
WHY
Each creation houses my struggle to either let go or control the outcome. Each piece reflects my own journey of reassessing my life, changing it, tearing it apart, putting it back together, then accepting in the end, the reward is in the movement of creating and not trying to control everything.
-Becka Watkins
Curriculum Vitae
Exhibitions
2021 Fountain Square, Meridian, Idaho
2021 Riverside Hotel, Boise Idaho
2021 Fine Art Eagle Art Walk, Boise, Idaho
2021 Surrels’s Place, Greenbelt, Boise, Idaho
2021 Initial Point Gallery, Meridian, Idaho
2021 Riverside Art Show, Boise, Idaho
2020 TVAA, Driving and Beyond, Oregon
2020 Boise Open Studios Collective Organization, Boise, Idaho
2020 Pettitt Group Ridge to Rivers, Boise, Idaho
2020 Riverside Hotel, Boise, Idaho
2019 Boise Contemporary Theatre, Boise, Idaho
2019 Boise Open Studios Collective Organization, Boise, Idaho
2019 LandTrust Auction, Boise, Idaho
2019 UpCycle, Boise, Idaho
2019 Pettitt Group, Boise, Idaho
2019 Surrel’s Place, Garden City, Idaho
2019 Art and Soul of Magic Valley, Twin Falls, Idaho
2018 Fact, Fiction, Lies, Boise, Idaho
2018 Boise Open Studios Collective Organization, Boise Idaho
2018 Riverside Hotel, Boise Idaho
2017 Handelbar, Boise, Idaho
2016 St. Lukes Hospital, Boise, Idaho
2016 Boise Open Studios, Boise Idaho Visual Arts
2014 The Crux, solo exhibition, Boise Idaho
Honors, Awards, Grants
Jacks Urban Meeting Place, Community Art Grant Recipient, 2019
Idaho Commission on the Arts, Grant Recipient, 2019
Pettitt Group, Selected Artist, 2019
Treasure Valley Artists Alliance, First Place Award for Fact Fiction Lies, 2018
Old Coot and Maggie Foundation Grant recipient 2017
High Pass Honors Critical Care, 2011
High Pass Honors Psych, 2011
High Pass Honors OB/Peds, 2010
Occam’s Razor 3rd place Writing Achievement Award, 2004
Student Honor Recognition Award, 2004
Outstanding Woman Student Athlete Award, 1999
National Talent Roster of Outstanding Students, 1999
M.Claire O’Brian Scholarship, 1999
Dr. Sam Kipp Distinguished Student Award, 1999
Carson Sheetz Memorial Scholarship, 1999
Soroptimist International of Sacramento Scholarship, 1999
Team Captain swimming & water polo, 1998-1999
All American Swimmer Award, 1998, 1999
3C4A Achievement Award, 1998
Belle Cooledge Memorial Scholarship, 1998
Senior Collegian Scholarship, 1998
Experience
Founder of “Writing My Art Out,” a Community Art Project to bring creativity and voice to shared human experiences, 2019
Producer, Writer, Artist and Narrator for “It’s Not Me,” a Virtual reality art and story experience to address addictions, in collaboration with Boise State University’s Gaming Interactive, Media, Mobile Technology Department and thanks to The Old Coot and Maggie Foundation, 2018 - 2019
National Eating Disorder Association guest speaker, Boise State University, 2019
Featured Story Teller, “Story Story Night”, Boise Idaho, 2018
Registered Nurse, Rehabilitation, Radiology, Telemetry, Hospice, St. Lukes Hospital, St Alphonsus Hospital, Harrisons Hope Hospice, Boise Idaho, 2018-2019
Education
My Artrepreneur Program, Idaho Commission on the Arts, 2019
Registered Nurse, Everest College Phoenix, AZ, A.A. Nursing, 2011
Bachelors of Arts in Creative Writing, California State University East Bay, CA, 2004,
Occupational Therapy Assistant, Sacramento City College, CA, A.A., 1999
Associations
Idaho Commission of The Arts
International Association Of Eating Disorder Association
Treasure Valley Artist Association, Boise Idaho
Boise Open Studios, Boise Idaho
Idaho State Board of Nursing
I am inspired by assisting others to find their potential through creativity. I am passionate about art’s creative process and how it can enhance self discovery, increase self awareness, offer healing and assist one to see their potential in the world.
Go ahead, make a mess!
Giving yourself permission to create is about, letting go of the outcome, immersing yourself in an experience, and letting the creative process guide you. There are no mistakes only paths to get you to the next place.