Jason Roberts grew up in the Yarra Valley, an hour east of Melbourne, Australia, and at the age of 18 was painting for a living as an on-site artist at World Expo 88 in Brisbane. Three years later he launched his international career with a move to the United Kingdom, where he set up a studio first in Wimbledon, an then in Surrey on the estate of an early patron.
In 1991 Jason moved from to the United States, and in ten years he became a prominent artist in the wildlife art scene. Largely based in Seattle, Jason travelled the country exhibiting his sensitive, highly detailed depictions of birds of prey, bears, waterfowl and more. He was named an 'Artist to Watch ' in the March 1993 USArt Magazine, and was profiled in American Artist's 'Watercolor' magazine in 1999. In this decade Jason was also accepted into the prestigious Birds in Art show in Wausau, Wisconsin, and was the youngest painter asked to show in the New York exhibition 'Natural History; Contemporary Wildlife Artists of America' held at the fabled Spanierman Gallery in 1996.
In 2001 Jason returned to Australia, and at this time his work began to incorporate subjects from his travels, including architecture and landscape. For three years he established a studio on remote King Island, Tasmania, and further widened his gaze to maritime art, painting the ships and boats in the harbour behind his studio.
It was here, on an island famed for its dairy and beef cattle, that Jason began painting livestock and farming buildings and landscapes, and this rural theme has grown in prominence in Jason's work.
2020
Events postponed due to COVID 19 restrictions;
Guest Artist, Redgum Festival, Cavendish
Amalthia Project Exhibition in Athens, Greece
Guest Artist, Casterton Kelpie Muster
Artist History
2019
Resident Artist, Royal Easter Show, Sydney
Guest Artist, VRC, Flemington Race Course
Commissioned by Historical Society of King Island to paint works for 250th anniversary of wreck of the Cataraqui
Resident Artist, Royal Melbourne Show
Official Artist, Oaklands Hound Show
2018
Three months painting in Greece for Amalthia project
Resident Artist Royal Melbourne Show
Finalist, ANL Maritime Art Prize
Resident Artist, Royal Geelong Show
2017
Six months painting in Greece for Amalthia project
Guest Art Tutor, Ithaca, Greece
Artist in Residence on Chios, Greece; Mastic Gum Growers Association
Solo exhibition, 'Odyssey - Recent Greek Paintings', Portside Gallery, King Island
Studio exhibition, Nicholas Building, Melbourne. 'Recent Greek Sketches', with jeweller Vikki Kassioras
2016
Winner; best in show, Hamilton North Art Show
Winner; best traditional artwork under $2,500, Camberwell Art Show
Winner; best watercolour, Hobson's Bay Art Show
Dual Exhibition with Katherine Cooper - Feather and Sail, Portside Gallery, King Island, Tasmania
Finalist; ANL Maritime Art Prize
Resident artist, Royal Easter Show, Sydney
Resident artist, Royal Melbourne Show
2015
Finalist NSW Parliament Plein Air Prize
Resident Artist, Royal MelbourneShow, Royal Easter Show Winner, People's Choice Award, Bayside Art Show.
2014
Winner Best in Show, Hobson's Bay Art Show
Winner, Casterton Kelpie(working dog) Art Show
Resident Artist, Royal MelbourneShow
2013
Resident Artist, Royal Easter Show, Sydney and Royal Melbourne Show, Melbourne
Winner Inglis Equestrian Art Prize
2012
Solo Exhibition, Sport of Kings, Collins Street gallery, Melbourne
Resident Artist, Royal Easter Show, Sydney.
2011
Solo exhibition, Town & Country, Collins Street Gallery, Melbourne.
Resident Artist, Royal Melbourne Show
Solo exhibition,Scenes From the Cobra's Hood, Rajasthan, India.
Resident Artist, Royal Easter Show, Sydney.
2010
Solo Exhibition, The Last View, Collins Street Gallery, Melbourne.
Travels to India for ‘resident artist’ positions with HH The Maharajah of Jodphur and Orange County Lodge on the Kabini River, Karnataka.
Losing our marvels - article in The Age
Commission by Macquaire Bank, Historic buildings of Brisbane.
Commissioned by Royal Agricultural Society of NSW to paint Grand Supreme Merino, Royal Easter Show.
2009
Solo exhibition, Going In, Greenhill Galleries, Adelaide.
"Best Representation of Victorian Maritime History", The ANL Maritime Art Prize
2008
Exhibits with Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, Mall Galleries, London
Solo exhibition, The Conscious Stone II, The Collins Street Gallery, Melbourne.
2007
Moves to London
Recieves major commission of 35 paintings from His Royal Highness, The Sultan of Oman.
Travels to Oman, The Arabian Penninsula.
Finalist, Sunday Times Watercolour Competition, London
Solo exhibition, "Breakers Ahead!", Nautilus Gallery, King Island, Tasmania
2006
"Port Fairy Scenes", solo exhibition, "Rockleigh", Historic manor, Port Fairy, Victoria.
"A Curious Eye", solo exhibition, Greenhill Galleries, Adelaide, Australia.
"Best Australian Wildlife Painting", Camberwell Art Show, Australia.
Featured Resident Artist at "Bird Week", Kingfisher Bay Resort, Fraser Island, Queensland,
Australia.
2005
Solo Exhibition of Architectural studies, The Conscious Stone, The Collins Street Gallery,
Melbourne.
Solo Exhibition, Gondwana, Galerie Konoha, Tokyo, Japan.
2004
"Painting the Corner", co-curator and participant in Trust For Nature(TFN) Exhibition.
Artist in Residence, Cradle Mountain Lodge, Tasmania, Australia.
2003
Runner-up, Works on Paper, Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize, Museum of South Australia
Artist in Residence, Gagudju Resort, Kakadu National Park, Australia, , Yulara Resort, Central Australia.
2002
Wins "Best in Show", R.S.P.C.A. Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia, with "Brahmaputra".
2000
South-Eastern Wildlife Art Exposition, Charleston, South Carolina.
Featured in American Artist "Watercolour" magazine, "Detailing Wildlife".
1999
South-Eastern Wildlife Art Exposition, Charleston, South Carolina.
Asked to participate in Christies' Wildlife Art Auction, London.
1998
South-Eastern Wildlife Art Exposition, Charleston, South Carolina.
Accepted into "Birds in Art", Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, Wisconsin.
"Natural Habitat; Contemporary Wildlife Artists of North America", Spanierman Gallery, New York City
1997
Named "Artist to Watch", USArt Magazine.
Participates in Bonhams' Wildlife Art Auction,
Singapore. "X-ers in Art", article USArt Magazine.
1996
Minneapolis Wildlife and Western Art Expo.
Pacific Rim Wildlife Art Expo, Seattle, Washington.
"Wonders of Nature" Exhibition, Monidale Fine Arts, Hong Kong
1995
American debut at the Northern Wildlife Art Expo, Lansing, Michigan.
Minneapolis Wildlife and Western
Art Expo.
Pacific Rim Wildlife Art Expo, Tacoma, Washington.
Named "Best Newcomer", USArt Magazine.
1994
Lives and exhibits in London (Medici Gallery, Mayfair)
1990
Runner-up, R.S.P.C.A. Annual Art Show, Melbourne.
"Best Work Depicting Exotic Wildlife", WASA Annual Exhibition
1988
Resident artist, World Expo 88', Brisbane
