Video – Jon Watts

Kassasi Village, Sierra Leone

January 18, 2022August 13, 2024

Just wrapped a week of filming here in Sierra Leone. Even before we arrived, I was inspired by the stories of these women who have banded together to embark on new business ventures to uplift their communities. But meeting them in person has been another experience altogether. I am awestruck by their joy, their gracious playfulness and their collective ingenuity.

…and I’m humbled by the task of telling their stories for a broader audience. Thanks to Right Sharing of World Resources for entrusting me with this project.

Sharing this short clip in the brief window as we prepare for the next leg of our trip. Hope to share more soon, but first: headed to Kenya tomorrow!

Live from Philadelphia!

September 30, 2021August 13, 2024

Last winter I was streaming live every week from my studio here in Philadelphia. It was so magical to share that space with you, and to see what happened when we all gathered to listen in my studio. As the weather gets cool again, I find myself reminiscing and missing it a bit! Here is one of my favorites.

Cover of Bon Iver: “715 – CR∑∑KS”

July 15, 2021March 7, 2022

Lately I’ve been challenging myself to learn the work of artists who inspire me. After years of living in my head, this piece by Justin Vernon seemed like a good start. Trying to re-create the magic of this song has been a humbling process, as it took me to school in all sorts of ways.

Sweet Life

January 14, 2021August 13, 2024

I’m in the studio this evening giving thanks. Every moment of this life is a blessing. Sometimes I forget that, and music helps me remember.

Deep Breath

January 11, 2021August 13, 2024

I’ve been dealing with a ton of anxiety over the past couple of days, as I’m sure many of us have. Sometimes when I’m anxious I sit at the piano and play something slow just to remind myself of the beauty that naturally unfolds when I wait and listen and focus on my breath.

I hope you are also finding ways to reconnect to beauty today, even amidst the turmoil, and that this music helps you to get back to your breath, even if just for a minute.

The Legacy of Clarence and Lily Picket

February 21, 2020August 13, 2024

Clarence and Lilly Pickett were Quakers who lived in the mid 20th century and had an outsized impact on Quakerism and on the world.

The Power of Loving Your Enemy

March 15, 2019November 15, 2021

During a lunch counter protest in 1960, a white supremacist threatened to stab David Hartsough with a knife. What David said to his would-be attacker was the last thing the man was expecting, and it transformed the situation.

9 Core Quaker Beliefs

July 19, 2018November 18, 2021

As a lifelong Quaker, Arthur Larrabee was frustrated that he couldn�™t answer the question, “What do Quakers believe?” So he set out to do just that.

“RINGS” (Aesop Rock Cover)

March 31, 2018March 7, 2022

Haven’t been posting much lately, but here’s a cover I recorded of Aesop Rock’s “Rings”.

Watch Me Talk About QuakerSpeak

November 3, 2016August 13, 2024

So I feel a little bashful about this… but my co-workers thought it was a good idea for me to talk to the camera for a little while. The video project I’ve dedicated my 30’s to so…

Thomas Kelly: Room For the Infinite (Video by Coleman Watts)

January 23, 2014August 13, 2024

Thomas Kelly (1893-January 17, 1941) was an American Quaker educator. He taught and wrote on the subject of mysticism.

This visual essay is the work of Coleman Watts, which he completed for the Quaker Leadership Scholars Program at Guilford College.

Limits & Emotions (New Instrumental Album)

January 23, 2012February 23, 2021

Jon Watts instrumental album.

The Story of James Naylor, The Most Controversial Quaker

September 23, 2011February 23, 2021

During the time of George Fox, Quaker — and the Valiant Sixty — James Nayler (or Naylor) was a powerful and respected Quaker preacher, who, at the beginning of the formation of the Religious Society of Friends, traveled extensively preaching the Quaker message and writing prolifically.

A Visit to Shiloh Quaker Camp

September 5, 2010February 23, 2021

Shiloh Quaker Camp is a Summer Camp in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. It is a part of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM) Camping Program, along with Catoctin, Opequon and Teen Adventure (TA).