Jason Drake is an American realist painter whose work is focused on the figure, the landscape, and intimate beauty of the natural world. His style elevates uniqueness over the banal, the deep spark over the quick flash. He believes that his art should lift you up, elevate your perspective and help you hold onto things that have meaning.
Jason was born in 1955 and demonstrated an artistic ability from early childhood. But the world of math and science lured him down the path to an engineering degree and a career as a military pilot. Still, he never forgot the artistic passion he cultivated while drawing and painting as a child.
Later, as a graphic designer, he created marketing materials for print and the web and learned the impact of visual communication and the power of a finely-tuned composition. Clean lines and simple lighting are as much a reflection of his personality as they are a mainstay in his work.
But he never abandoned his passion to be an artist. As a young man, he was influenced by the work of great illustrators like Norman Rockwell, NC Wyeth, and Howard Pyle. Later his attention turned to realist masters like Sargent, Winslow Homer, and Andrew Wyeth and he decided that the lasting impact of fine art painting was the fulfillment of his dreams. Always learning, Jason continues to develop his skills through workshops, books, videos, lessons with other artists, and putting miles on his brush.
Jason’s work includes paintings in oil, watercolor, and egg tempera and he has won national awards in each medium. Fine Art Connoisseur magazine singled out Jason as an artist to watch and recently printed, “With so much thought, observation, and reflection behind each piece, it is clear why Drake’s paintings frequently cause viewers to pause.”
Gallery owner Tim Miller wrote, “The depth and emotion of his paintings captures the attention of every client who enters the gallery and he’s quickly become a sought after name amongst our patrons. Jason’s work is as stimulating as it is mature, as beautiful as it is timeless.”
Egg tempera master Koo Schadler observed that Jason’s work is “beautiful and accomplished; his tonal sense is excellent.”
Living with his wife Holly and their dog Max in the Appalachian Mountains near Boone, North Carolina, he creates detailed realistic paintings of the natural world that surrounds him and finds beauty in ordinary things and close friends. He is committed to producing works that reflect the glory of God and the dignity of Man.