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Richard J. Watson (born 1946) is an American artist. He was born in Badin, North Carolina. He attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. In the 1970s, he collaborated with Walter Edmonds to create murals for the Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia, which was a center of activity for the civil rights movement in North Philadelphia. The church commissioned them to paint murals for the interior. They were requested to portray a combination of Black history and themes from the Bible. They were active in the Church of the Advocate and they donated their time to create the murals. 14 murals were completed from 1973 to 1976. Titles include "Creation", "I Have a Dream", "The Lord smote the firstborn in the land of Egypt" and "God has chosen the weak to confound the strong".

Watson's work was included in the 2015 exhibition We Speak: Black Artists in Philadelphia, 1920s–1970s at the Woodmere Art Museum. In 2021, the African American Museum in Philadelphia held an exhibition of his work entitled Portals+Revelations – Richard J. Watson Beyond Realities.

His work is in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Petrucci Family Foundation.

References

1. "Richard J Watson". AskArt. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
2. Valerio, William R (2015). We speak : black artists in Philadelphia, 1920s–1970s. Philadelphia: Woodmere Art Museum. p. 227. ISBN 9781888008005.
3. "Church of the Advocate Murals (1973 – 1976)". Association for Public Art. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
   "Murals". Church of the Advocate. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
4. "We Speak: Black Artists in Philadelphia, 1920s-1970s". Woodmere Art Museum. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
5. "Opening: Portals+Revelations – Richard J. Watson Beyond Realities". Association of African American Museums. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
   - Olivia J. B. Baxter (January 18, 2022). "The African American Museum in Philadelphia presents Portals + Revelations: Richard J. Watson Beyond Realities". Broad Street Review. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
6. "Do Lord, Remember Me - Richard J. Watson". Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. December 28, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
7. "Richard Watson". Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art. Retrieved July 19, 2022.

External links

• Interview with Richard J. Watson for "Philadelphia's 100 History Makers of the 20th Century", YouTube

• 1946 births
• Living people
• Artists from Philadelphia
• American male artists