Sharon Watts Writes

when pictures fail me…

About Sharon Watts

me-at-book-fair

Occupation. . . what exactly am I? The best title I can come up with is:

Creative Archivist.

Whether or not I am holding a brush, a fountain pen, a camera, or am sitting at the keyboard, my attention is often drawn to the marginalized, the overlooked, the commonplace, the obscure, and (to me), the beautiful —all waiting for their moment in the sun.

Currently I am working on a book about an incredible performer you may not know — yet! Bert Sommer was just twenty years old in August 1969, and Woodstock was his first live gig. The working title of my book is The Rather Magnificent Bert Sommer: Woodstock’s Lost Treasure. Updates and posts will appear here, so sign up to follow this website and don’t miss any!

Hell’s Kitchen and Couture Dreams, about my art student days in the early 1970s, is shaping up as a time capsule with words, visuals, and maybe even some music. The memoir-scrapbook is also my valentine to New York City, when it was bruised, tender, yet tough. (I really love/d New York!)

I turned to the collecting of personal stories soon after September 11, 2001, when my own journal became part of a communal tapestry of love and respect woven for a FDNY legend — Miss You, Pat: Collected Memories of NY’s Bravest of the Brave, Captain Patrick J. Brown (2007).  This was part of my healing process, along with a decade’s worth of essays (with a few poems scattered in) entitled Back To My Senses (2013).

By The Time I Got To Woodstock (2019) is a graphic memoir of who I was in 1969, compiled after a visit to the Museum at Bethel Woods, which also inspired my book on Bert Sommer.

More Outlets:

Sharon Watts Creative – an overview of my visual output over the years

Medium and its visual offshoot Spiralbound

Dirndl Skirt — A blog where I archive my life as a fashion artist (with plenty of visuals) as well as offer contemporary art/products that I design and sell

YogaCityNYC — This labor of love (created by two NYC professionals who are also yoginis) for serious topics related to yoga philosophy came to an end in May 2017. It was a job that allowed me to access incredible people who are tops in their fields regarding holistic health in all its forms. I also got to view and write on cultural exhibits around NYC that reflect a myriad of creative and spiritual modalities. A list of articles is to the left of this page.

I’ve also discovered that I like documenting people’s stories. Their ways of expressing themselves regarding personal passions and missions, thoughts and feelings, resonate with me, and I want to help capture those things “for the record.” If you have something you need to share, let me help. Meanwhile, keep checking back here. I have some things to share of my own!

Contact: sharon.watts2@verizon.net

Visit my Amazon Author Page here.

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What I won’t allow is copyright infringement of anything I have written here.

Please ask permission and/or give credit if you’d like to share anything other than reposting onto your blog.

Thank you for respecting creative property.

3 comments on “About Sharon Watts

  1. Gregg Orr
    December 27, 2020

    Hi.
    Just read your article in Shindig, #94 I think. I was digging into Wiki and YouTube. Mountain > the Vagrants > the New York scene. Through a Peter Sabatino Google search I found your article mostly about Bert Sommer.

    thANKHyou!!! I REALLY appreciate this piece. I was 10 years too late – born in ’60.

    I had never heard of Bert Sommer.
    Right now I’m listening to a recording of his set at Woodstock. 💜💜❤💜💜

    Have you been in the music scene , friend or performer/musician ?

    • DIRNDL SKIRT
      December 27, 2020

      Hi Gregg~ So glad you found it, and just so you know, it is being expanded into a book on Bert. According to all his bandmates and friends, he was larger than life. Talent-wise, too. I had never heard of him either, until 2017, when I visited the Woodstock Museum at Bethel Woods. I’ll be posting updates in 2021 on the book. Thanks again!

  2. Anonymous
    May 30, 2021

    glenn@themusicumbrella.net
    Thank you.
    🎶☂️

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