Meet Grace Flott, the Washington artist behind Gov. Jay Inslee’s official portrait

For Washington painter Grace Flott, the best portraits act to slow the viewer down, creating a meditative moment. That aim held true for her latest work: the official portrait of Gov. Jay Inslee.

Flott was selected to immortalize the outgoing governor after a competitive nationwide search. The painting, which has already been completed, will be officially unveiled to the public in early 2025.

The artist hopes that the portrait will catch the eye of young students coming to Olympia on a Capitol field trip. Or maybe it will inspire them to reflect on Inslee’s accomplishments — and the importance of being civically involved.

“It’s been exciting to work with a governor, but he’s also a person, and that could actually be any of us,” Flott told McClatchy. “To me, I hope that it humanizes a public servant and just creates a moment of connection.”

Some might say it’s kismet that Flott would be chosen to portray Inslee.

Flott said both of her parents worked as city of Spokane public employees. She attended the University of Washington, where she was involved in student activism and on track to “go into labor and economic policy.”

Then, during a study-abroad program, Flott experienced what she calls “a biographical disruption.”

At 20, Flott was injured in a fire. The life-altering moment would change her identity and trajectory.

Flott said she’d always been interested in art. As she was recovering, she realized that there was a large gap in visual representation of people with body differences, disfigurement or disability.

That dearth compelled Flott to return to school.

She wanted to learn how to tell her own story in images: how to celebrate body variation and see her experience reflected “like it could be a source of something very creative, rather than simply painful.” From there, she began painting people with injuries in a collaborative process.

Flott said she always seeks to make the subject of the painting feel good about how they’re represented. She uses oil paints, citing that medium’s flexibility and accuracy in capturing skin tones.

It was an honor to be selected for the governor’s painting, Flott said. She feels lucky to live in a state with a leader who supports the arts and has been active in combating climate change.

“I grew up in Washington, so that’s already a big connection, but certainly Inslee’s legacy has completely positively affected me,” she said. “Even having access to health care, having gone through everything I’ve been through, is in large part thanks to his administration.”

Honoring connections

Flott approached the Inslee-painting process like she does with any commission: starting with a conversation about how one would like to be portrayed.

Typically Flott works from life, such as with figure models, but the governor is very busy, she said with a laugh. This time around they did a photo shoot first. From there, pictures were chosen for Flott to use as reference.

Inslee’s team wanted to focus on his leadership on climate action and convey his can-do attitude and approachable nature, Flott said. That informed the core of how Inslee posed and the painting’s background.

As for additional details, Flott stayed mum.

“I can’t really give you actual details of the painting yet, but definitely the environmentalism is part of it — and there’s a couple touches here and there of his kind of signature look,” Flott said.

She then quipped: “If I could say more, I would, but I don’t want to get fired.”

The painting will be roughly the same size as the gubernatorial portraits hanging in the governor’s office in the state Capitol, Flott said: life size and about 3-by-4 feet.

Flott took the other portraits’ history into consideration, envisioning how her work would fit into the existing collection. At the same time, those involved in the project wanted to ensure that her piece would remain contemporary and unique to Inslee.

During the process, the governor cited famed paintings as touchstones, including the official portrait of former President Barack Obama, Flott said. Inslee knows what he’s talking about, too, she added. He’s an amateur artist and has illustrated books for his grandkids.

A good portrait, Flott said, can only be timeless and meaningful if it’s co-created. She hopes that those who view the Inslee painting feel a connection to his presence and see what he stands for.

Portraits are lasting, she continued. Even in the digital age, they can help bridge differences and time.

“For me, it’s just a way that I get to honor that person, but also honor our connection,” Flott said. “I love working with people who are maybe directly part of my life — but also folks like the governor, who are just passionate about what they do and who are aligned with that purpose.”