One Night with a Stranger

“One Night with a Stranger” — Original Album Art by Stan Watts (Print) 

One Night With a Stranger was originally commissioned by Murray Weidman as the album cover for British performer Martin Briley. The concept centered on the idea that two people could live together while existing in completely opposite emotional worlds — a theme captured through the artwork’s surreal staging and striking visual contrast.

The cold, impersonal color palette heightens the sense of emotional distance, while the film-noir lighting gives the scene an unsettling clarity. The surreal composition — a woman seated on the bed while a man floats lifelessly above, submerged in another psychological dimension — became a groundbreaking image for Watts at that stage in his career. Its stark realism, dramatic tension, and emotional disconnect are defining traits that later became hallmarks of his signature style. The piece went on to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Album Art.

Fun Fact: Both the woman on the bed and the floating man are modeled by Stan Watts and his wife, photographed in his own studio before being meticulously illustrated into this haunting dual-reality composition.

Available now as a fine-art print, One Night With a Stranger remains one of Stan’s most iconic narrative pieces — a bold example of storytelling through image, mood, and emotional contrast.

• Original album artwork commissioned for Martin Briley
• Grammy-nominated for Best Album Art
• Film-noir inspired palette, lighting, and atmosphere
• Museum-quality fine art print with vivid detail
• Exclusive to the Stan Watts Collection

A powerful, surreal exploration of emotional distance — and one of Stan Watts’ most celebrated works.