Artist Rebecca McWatters’ slogan is “paint life boldly!”, and she does. Her oil paintings are full of rich, saturated tones, and, according to her, they always have been.

Her abstracts, modern gardens and wildlife scenes pop off the canvas with a wide spectrum of colors. After meeting McWatters, it feels as though life does imitate art, if not the other way around.

She has a sunny aura about her and an ease in conversation like catching up with an old friend.

“I like to bring light out of the darkness,” McWatters says.

Looking Back

McWatters’ fascination with painting began when her older brother gifted her a paint-by-numbers kit for Christmas at 10 years old. He recognized her artistic talent and wanted to foster it. For months, McWatters diligently painted a copy of The Lord’s Supper with tiny brush strokes.

Sherman native, Rebecca McWatters, fell in love with painting and art as a child. As an adult, she’s found her true purpose is bringing joy to others through her art.

The Sherman native eventually studied marketing and economics at Baylor University. McWatters worked in tech and finance, but felt so called to pursue art, she had to try.

After meeting another artist at an art fair, she began taking oil painting more seriously and jumped at the opportunity to visit San Miguel de Allende to study under masters like Jerald Peterson, an acclaimed oil painter and watercolorist. 

Having experienced a corporate career, and more recently, life as an artist, McWatters feels that while her corporate pursuits provided discipline and logic, being an artist fills her life with purpose as she loves to see her painting bring joy to others. 

“In my early stages of oil painting, I focused primarily on Romanesque architecture and moved through more modern cityscapes, impressionism and to expressive abstracts,” McWatters says. Her personal challenge is to continue studying art history and let it influence the direction of her painting today. 

Rebecca’s art is as much a spiritual practice as a creative one. “Before I paint, I pray and reflect on biblical scriptures,” she says. “The painting process is a place of peace, a sanctuary from the world’s noise.”

Finding Inspiration

McWatters finds inspiration in The French and Russian Impressionists, European abstract artists and the modern American contemporaries. “The common thread of my favorite artists is the lines, expressive brushstrokes and color palette,” McWatters says. “I want to blend the inspiration of God’s creation and man’s architectural design.” 

She has deemed her style of painting “expressive impressionism,” a blend of emotion and impressionist technique.

“For me, it’s about placing colors and forms in a way that brings out joy and peace,” she says. McWatters recognizes that her bright color choices have not always reflected what is commercially popular but find its resonating audience.

“A recent compliment I received was that someone could see the joy in my work,” she says. “It’s why I paint — to create something that isn’t just seen but felt.”

Rebecca’s process is guided by both spontaneity and intuition. “Sometimes what’s in my mind’s eye is not what ends up on the canvas,” she says while laughing. “But if I allow myself to create without overthinking, it’s always more rewarding.”

The Art Barn

McWatters took her artistic vision a step further by building an at-home art barn studio. She finished construction in July.

The studio will be a place to paint and teach, and opened this fall to others. “So many people have asked me to teach locally,” she says.

She plans on hosting oil painting workshops focusing on foundational techniques like composition to color theory to hands-on painting exercises. “I often do a guided group paint where we go over basics together, like line, space and value,” McWatters says. “It’s a lot of fun, and it helps students find their own style.” 

McWatters will open up another small class in January with more information available on her social media channels and website, rebeccapelleymcwattersstudioartist.com. Those interested can subscribe to her emails through the website and follow her social media channels. 

Fort Worth locals can find her artwork at Cacti & Crescent, a home decor boutique located on Camp Bowie Boulevard. 

As she looks to the future, McWatters’ goals are refreshingly simple: “My prayer is that my art can bring a moment of joy to someone’s day,” she says. 

Success isn’t about fame or fortune but knowing her work has connected with and elevated someone else’s spirit.