Paxton Watkins Jr. is a professional artist residing in the Tampa Bay area, with more than 30 years of experience creating drawings, paintings, murals, decorative finishes, and large-scale commercial artwork. Watkins has completed many art projects throughout the surrounding tri-county area.

Watkins’s natural attraction to drawing began at an early age, encouraged by family. In first grade, Watkins completed a painting of a bald eagle that was framed by the school and displayed in the hallway. The project also received recognition in the local newspaper.

As a young artist, Watkins was inspired by Viking culture and created drawings of Vikings, their ships, and their weaponry. During later school years, Watkins’s interests shifted toward BMX culture and graffiti, resulting in drawings of bicycles, ramps, and graffiti-style lettering.

While attending Cape Fear Community College, Watkins earned a liberal arts degree, took formal art classes, and continued developing drawing skills. Watkins also established a foundation in oil painting. After graduating, Watkins devoted increasing time to drawing and painting while studying techniques used by the Old Masters, including glazing and layering. These methods strengthened Watkins’s understanding of texture, depth, luminosity, and visual effects.

Watkins’s professional art career began with a large floral commission for a neighbor of Watkins’s parents. The successful project provided the confidence and experience to pursue increasingly complex commissions. Over time, Watkins began earning a living through art while expanding into wall decoration, faux finishes, interior décor, trompe-l'œil, and large-scale commercial murals.

Notable projects include trompe-l'œil for numerous interior spaces; custom wall, ceiling, and floor designs; art exhibitions at City Hall; and a museum project encompassing more than 50,000 square feet of murals and creative coatings. Watkins has also completed many residential, commercial, and decorative art projects throughout the Tampa Bay tri-county area. Watkins’s art sales have exceeded $100,000, reflecting a career grounded in craftsmanship, versatility, and a lifelong commitment to visual storytelling.