SPOKANE, Wash. – Spokane native Grace Flott will paint Governor Jay Inslee’s official portrait.
Flott is a portraitist who focuses her work on people with disrupted identities. She suffered a significant burn during an accident while studying abroad with the University of Washington in France, changing her perspective on the artistic process.
“I wanted to learn to paint and draw stories that we need to see in the world. So that’s sort of the path that led me to art and working with painting portraits,” Flott said.
Flott works with burn survivors on using art as a form of empowerment and education. Inslee selected her after a search by ArtsWA, the state’s public arts commission.
“It’s a huge honor to be selected to paint Governor Inslee, especially considering that it was a nationwide competition. I know they were interested in working with an artist with a Washington connection, and it feels really fitting since I’ve lived in Washington since I was four years old, east side and west side,” Flott said.
excited Flott, who hopes to highlight in her piece.
“Anyone who has been watching the governor and his policies knows that he is committed to environmental action, and that’s sort of part of his origin story, so it’s certainly part of the portrait as well,” Flott said.
The portrait will be publicly unveiled in January as Inslee after It will be displayed in the Office of the Governor alongside the previous leaders of Washington.
