Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s official portrait was revealed Tuesday. Take a look
Gov. Jay Inslee — and his environmentalist spirit — have been immortalized in an official portrait.
Washington’s outgoing Democratic governor on Tuesday afternoon revealed the painting by Seattle artist Grace Athena Flott. Inslee viewed the portrait for the first time during a ceremony in the State Reception Room, shortly after delivering his final State of the State address.
In the painting, Inslee stands with an expression that reads equal parts determination and hope. His gaze is cast slightly upward, with his left hand in his pocket and right hand holding an evergreen-colored folder emblazoned with the state seal. A small red pin graces his lapel.
Behind the governor, in the distance, Mount Rainier looms.
“There’s something very meaningful to me, and that’s Mount Rainier — and Mount Rainier has glaciers and snow,” Inslee said after the reveal. “It is my firm belief that because of what we’re doing in Washington state, 100 years from now, Mount Rainier is going to continue to have glaciers and snow.”
Flott previously told McClatchy that the governor’s environmentalist bent played a role in the overall look of the painting. She said his work in combating climate change and supporting the arts made her feel lucky to live in Washington.
In a speech at Tuesday’s ceremony, Flott said the governor struck her as “someone who deeply values the perspectives of others.” That spirit of service, willingness to collaborate and openness to hearing new ideas helped inform her work, as did Inslee’s dedication to environmentalism.
The portrait represents Inslee’s likeness while also relaying a sense of his drive and inner world, Flott said.
“Paintings always invite us to slow down and to meditate on this person: what he stands for and how we as a greater community can continue his work together,” she said.
This story was originally published January 15, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
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