About the Artist

Jason Statt is a fine artist and educator based in Bellevue, Washington, specializing in gouache and oil painting with a focus on surreal and symbolic imagery. Their work often features animals, particularly butterflies, as metaphors for transformation, fragility, and beauty. Jason’s artistic practice is deeply influenced by a lifelong curiosity about the mysteries of nature, history, and their personal experiences with mental health and neurodivergence. With a Master’s in Teaching from Seattle University, Jason brings a deep passion for both creating and teaching. They aim to inspire others by sharing their love of painting, and by drawing on their experiences as a self-taught artist.

About the Collection

The collection of paintings featured on this website explore the symbolic and transformative nature of animals, with a recurring focus on butterfly motifs. Each piece presents a surreal landscape where animals act as metaphors for change, fragility, and resilience. In particular, the butterflies embody themes of metamorphosis, delicately weaving through the compositions as symbols of personal transformation. Other animals are depicted in dreamlike, symbolic scenes that evoke a sense of mystery and introspection. Through these vivid and evocative images, the collection invites viewers to reflect on the interconnectedness of nature, life cycles, and the hidden narratives within the world around us.

The Miniatures Process

In the process of developing their surreal and imaginative compositions, Jason developed a signature process for designing and planning scenes for the large canvas. Before ending up on the final panel, Jason runs new ideas through a process starting with initial sketches to brainstorm ideas. After a design has been thought out, they are painted on a miniature scale using gouache because of the versatility and speed of the medium. While tedious, these miniatures are fully realized and finished paintings that act as a roadmap for the final large painting. Each miniature is meticulously rendered, allowing new ideas to be thoroughly tested before moving to the final stage, while also helping to discard concepts that don't make the cut. Successful miniatures are then carefully translated to larger canvases for gallery presentation. While the oil works are crafted for public exhibition, the miniatures hold personal significance for the artist, kept as mementos that mark key stages in Jason’s creative journey.

Solvent-Free Painting

The finalized images are usually rendered using oil paints — a particularly toxic and health-hazardous medium. To ensure the longevity of their ability to paint, Jason has adopted a solvent-free workflow. Solvents can be particularly harmful to humans and pets as they can cause respiratory and neurological harm with prolonged usage. To mitigate the risk associated with oil painting, Jason has developed a unique methodology for painting with non-toxic mediums and practices that eliminate the need for solvents. These practices can be as simple as using multiple brushes to reduce the need for solvents when cleaning between colours.

EDUCATION
2022 - 2023	MIT, Secondary Visual Arts Endorsement, Seattle University
2021	Minor, Visual Arts, Seattle Central College
2017 - 2020	BA, Communication Studies, Western Washington University, Minors, Linguistics, Russian & Eurasian Studies

EXHIBITIONS
2022	Small Works Show, Gallery North, Edmonds, WA
2022	42nd Annual Arts of the Terrace, Mountlake Terrace, WA
2023	Small Works Show, Gallery North, Edmonds, WA
2023	43nd Annual Arts of the Terrace, Mountlake Terrace, WA - Honorable Mention Award
2024	Small Works Show, Gallery North, Edmonds, WA
2024	Edmonds Art Festival, Edmonds, WA
2024	44nd Annual Arts of the Terrace, Mountlake Terrace, WA - Honorable Mention Award
2024	TinyGallery, Issaquah, WA