Ty Watson is a mixed media artist from Lizella, Georgia. Working across a range of media, his practice spans digital illustration, graphic design, animation, and traditional media. Over the course of his early career, he has collaborated with businesses such as Greene’s Farmhouse Foods and Piedmont Hospital, as well as private clients. After eight years of studying art, Watson has developed a specialization in digital and graphic design, where he focuses on creating visually engaging and concept-driven work.
Project Statement
“Cogita Mori Ut Vivas: Memento Mori | Memento Vivere” visualizes the fluid optics of philosophies Memento Mori (remember to die) and Memento Vivere (remember to live) through digital illustrations, using a combination of Adobe Fresco and Adobe Photoshop. These are philosophies long contemplated throughout history, with the fragility of life forever looming over, many have thought of these same concepts. The 14th century philosopher, Michel de Montaigne, once stated, “He who should teach men to die would at the same time, teach them to live” and more recently, Apple’s Steve Jobs stated, “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.” The entirety of life is figuring out how to die, and in turn creating a life worthy of death. The Memento Mori pieces are composed of skeleton subjects in space environments, to conceive a notion of an otherworldly realm. This is important for the Memento Mori pieces so that the visuals created convey a realm only achieved in death, an afterlife of sorts. The Memento Vivere pieces are composed of human figures in earthly environments, while maintaining a fantastical feel, with obscure positioning and environmental pairings. This creates a sense of a meditative state and further exemplifies that contemplation.
Artist Statement
My creative interests materialize through a variety of media, including but not limited to digital illustration, logo and brand design, animation, traditional drawing and painting, and photography. Through my consumption of art, music, thoughts and conversation, my always changing imagination creates these images in my hand, that I then piece together into a cohesive design or drawing. With this, I strive to learn, create, and master the intricate techniques of every program and medium I use.