Art is the product of creative human activity in which materials are shaped or selected to convey an idea, emotion, or visually interesting form. The word art can refer to the visual arts, including painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, decorative arts, crafts, and other visual works that combine materials or forms. Art is the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects that can be shared with others. It involves the arranging of elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions and acts as a means of communication with the viewer as it represents the thoughts of the artist.
While art is an action, the person who performs the action is known as an artist. The word artist is a descriptive term applied to a person who performs activities that are said to be art. Artists use their art as a mean of communication. Jamaican artists have been known to portray strong feeling through their works of art. These works of art either appear in two dimensional or three dimensional forms and each form in its own way portrays some feelings, emotions or ideas. Their works of art have been known to tell stories or depict ideas and can either be a realistic piece or an abstract. For most people, the main enjoyment in art is that pieces of art seem to stir the emotions and feelings of the viewer.
Osmond Watson is considered one of Jamaica’s most prominent artists having compiled some of Jamaica’s most collectible pieces of artwork. He has excelled in both 3d and 2d art as he is both a painter and a sculptor. Osmond Watson once stated “my philosophy on art is simple- my aim is to glorify Black people through my work with the hope that it will uplift the masses of the region giving dignity and self respect where it is needed and to make people more aware of their own beauty”. This is exactly what his pieces seem to do. The combination of simplified forms, dark outlines, bold and acidic colours easily distinguish his painting. It is sometimes combined with frames that are hand-crafted and ornate, his choice of subject matter, and his wit and his idiosyncratic style confirm that Osmond Watson is a unique and significant Caribbean artist.
“Peace and Love” is a famous painting done by Watson. He uses the elements and principles to deliver this message. The most obvious and dominant element he uses is colour. He uses the colour blue to represent peace and this is the first notion that one gets when one first looks at this piece. A small amount of red is used throughout the piece and this supports the aspects of love, strength and power among blacks. Brown in this is also used to represent a feeling of comfort and home. In the background Watson uses blue with a hint of zigzag lines that coupled with the subject’s hair adds non-tactile texture and depth to the piece. Watson uses a Rastafarian as the subject of his piece due to the fact that Rastafarians are usually associated with meditation and peace.
