Biography
Born in Greenock, Watt studied at Glasgow School of Art. In 1987, while still a student, she won the National Portrait Gallery's prestigious annual award. She subsequently became well known for her paintings of figures, often female nudes. In the late 90s she began to focus on the fabric which had previously acted as a prop or backdrop for her figures. Although the human figure is no longer explicit in Watt’s work, it is often implied. More recently, her painting has focused upon the relationship between the genres of portraiture and still life, exploring the possible narratives around everyday objects. Across the last two decades, Watt has been exhibited nationally and internationally. She has had major solo exhibitions at The National Gallery, London (where she was appointed Associate Artist), The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Abbot Hall Art Gallery and Museum and The Fruitmarket Gallery. Her work is held in many important public collections. She was awarded an OBE in 2008 and became a Fellow of The Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2017.