"I've been a cowgirl all my life," Amy says. Growing up in Nebraska, Watts learned the ropes on dealing with livestock. "I have horses and cows, and I've always trained horses," and "Western history has always fascinated me." After receiving a degree in art illustration from the Atlanta College of Art, she didn't start painting seriously until she stopped training horses. Her epiphany came at a visit to the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. "I admired the paintings of Shonto Begay, and I realized that I was already interpreting Western art in a more contemporary way." Watts said her husband, who is from New Mexico, pushed her to concentrate on her painting.

The lore of the West and the cowboy lifestyle are good source material for many painters, and Amy likes to tell that story in her paintings. Her unique style enables her to do that in a modern way - that's still connected to the roots she's inspired by. A key component of Amy's contemporary take on western art is her use of patterns and her illustrative style. "My grandmother was a quilter, and I think that influenced me." In "Cowgirl's Dream" (acrylic, 24" x 30", 2014) Watts has produced a colorful painting that reflects her view of the West. An accomplished rider, Watts often includes her own horses in her mosaic-like compositions. The figures are stylized, and the colorful patterns create a finely designed background. It pays to look at Amy's work closely, since something new is always emerging from the painting.

Amy Watts has relentlessly pursued her cowgirl aspirations. Her Western heroes range from Quanah Parker to Kit Carson. Amy and her husband James live on a farm in Statham, Georgia where they raise beef cattle and ride and train Quarter Horses. Amy Watts has been showing her art since 2011. She has participated in Cowgirl Up! in Wickenburg, Arizona for three years, as well as shows in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Ellensburgh, Washington, Great Falls, Montana and several in her home state of Georgia. Amy had a one woman show called "Cowgirl Dreams" at the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia where her piece "Past History" is part of their permanent collection.