The art world felt a profound sense of loss with the passing of Peter Watts, a creative soul whose absence leaves a void in more ways than one. The departure of an artist is always a double blow. It’s not just the person we knew, the chance encounters, the shared laughter that are gone, but also the anticipation of future creations – the next painting, the unspoken stories waiting to be told through their art. With Peter Watts’ life story now complete, so too is the ongoing narrative of his artwork.
Peter Watts, an acclaimed artist, is best remembered for his captivating and ethereal interpretations of the Wellfleet landscape. His art beautifully captured the essence of the marshes, the shifting tidelines, the expansive skies, and the tranquil ponds of this unique locale. For Peter Watts, the landscape was more than just a subject; it was his artistic language, with the horizon serving as his constant guide and inspiration.
However, to define Peter Watts solely as a landscape artist would be to miss the deeper quest that fueled his artistic journey. His true pursuit was luminosity itself. He relentlessly chased and masterfully captured light in its myriad forms, in an artistic exploration that spanned his entire career. Peter Watts skillfully distilled the tangible world into the intangible elements that truly define our perception of it: light, wind, fog, subtle shifts in hue, the play of shadow and contrast, the intensity of saturated color, the rhythm of pattern and composition, the very vibration of the atmosphere, and the overarching mood dictated by season and time of day.
Through his paintings, Peter Watts achieved a remarkable feat: he paused these fleeting moments, these ephemeral flickers in time. He offered viewers a precious opportunity to contemplate and absorb the profound spiritual revelations inherent in the transient nature of existence, in the fleeting beauty of “things.” Peter Watts possessed such a deep and intuitive understanding of his surroundings that even today, those familiar with his work often experience a unique sensation when walking through the landscapes he immortalized. It’s as if, in a surreal and beautiful way, they find themselves stepping directly into a Peter Watts painting, surrounded by the very light and atmosphere he so expertly captured.
Many knew Peter Watts, some for longer periods and with deeper personal connections. The intimate details of his life and personal history are perhaps best left to those closest to him to recount. However, it’s important to acknowledge the significant influence he and his vibrant circle of artists, architects, writers, and thinkers had on the Wellfleet art scene, particularly during the dynamic decades of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. For newer artists arriving in the community, their lively and ever-welcoming gallery openings, dinners, and legendary cocktail parties served as an informal but invaluable education. It was amidst these gatherings, often punctuated by insightful (and sometimes playfully cynical) pronouncements from established figures – like the glamorous personality who once warned, drink in hand, “you can be a fine artist or a commercial artist, but not both,” or the stark advice that “if you’re going to be a true artist, be prepared for a life of great solitude” – that a certain understanding of the art world was imparted.
Interestingly, Peter Watts himself was not one for such pronouncements. He seemed to lean more towards enjoying a bit of local gossip than engaging in weighty artistic philosophies. Peter Watts lived a full and long life, even outlasting many of his contemporaries. Yet, his passion for painting remained undiminished. He found genuine joy and tender satisfaction in revisiting the vast collection of his past works, stacked in his studio, viewing them almost as if they were newly created pieces. He understood their enduring quality, their timeless appeal.
In his Wellfleet prime, Peter Watts was, by all accounts, a captivating figure. Described as a “walking heartthrob,” he was tall, well-built, and possessed a striking, almost Nordic handsomeness, with deep-set eyes and distinctive shaggy blond eyebrows. His humor was subtle and sly, adding to his enigmatic charm. In his final years, age and illness took their toll, shrinking his physical form, making him appear almost frail. It was as if his remaining energy was purposefully directed inwards, consuming him until only the luminous essence of his being remained.
My admiration for Peter Watts the artist is boundless, and my affection for Peter Watts the man is equally deep. I am eternally grateful for his artistic gift, his personal grace, his profound influence, and his indelible place in the rich history of Wellfleet. It is comforting to think that his artist’s soul has now, perhaps, entered the realm of ultimate creation, echoing Leonard Cohen’s poignant reflection on passing:
“You lose your grip,
And then you slip
Into the Masterpiece.”
