Governor Jay Inslee doodles for fun, for stress relief, for gifts to his staff, for young climate activists, and for his grand-kids in his annual Christmas book--which is also available online through donation in the jayinslee.com store.
Seattle Times staff reporters Dave Gutman and Jim Brunner decided to submit their Governor’s art to local art critics to gauge whether his ‘doodles’ held any artistic merit. While admitting his amateur status, they nevertheless seemed to like his art. (Please click on the link to see more art and comments.)
“Of course you see a love of the earth,” said Chiyo Ishikawa, Seattle Art Museum’s deputy director for art. “It’s interesting that he engages with the places he visits through art. It’s a different experience than taking a photo; you see things more slowly when you’re drawing … There’s a sense of humor, too, and a sincerity in these works that I find touching.”
The critics also note that Jay Inslee anthropomorphizes his animal subjects, perhaps as a sign of his own empathy with animals or in a desire to instill empathy within the viewer.
Perhaps because I am an animal lover like Jay Inslee appears to be, this portrait of Chadwick, the dog of staffer Tracy Smith, appeals to me. He gave the photo to Tracy. Jay appears to capture the very essence of goodnatured dogginess.
Jay Inslee had stood with young climate activists at the United Nations in New York City. While there he did a quick study of Alexandria Villaseñor, a 14-year-old climate activist, to whom he gifted his sketch. (Note the feminist repartee.)
“His subject matter zeros in on nature: landscapes, seascapes and animals; he renders these subjects with careful attention,” said Gayle Clemans, an art historian and critic who has written for The Seattle Times. “These are visual reminders, perhaps, of what he wants all of us to fight for.”
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