Who is Jason

Jason “Jay” Flack is an “Urban Folk” expressionist artist, community leader, speaker and a native of Johnson City, Tennessee. His work has been heavily influenced by his personal life experiences as well as many cartoons, comic books, and music. He has been drawing for over 30 years and painting for nearly fifteen. Jason has entrenched himself in an all-things-art lifestyle, being a part of local art advocacy and bridging the gap between self-taught and academia. He was called to start painting after the sudden death of his twin sister, Jessica, in 2010. In his life, he has always represented “both sides of the tracks” being half black, half white, and having both rural and an urban upbringing.

In the summer of 2011, Jason was briefly homeless. He would sleep in his car and, on occasion, couch surf with close friends. Sometimes, he would sit on a milk crate in ballgame parking lots and draw in cardboard to hand out to passers-by.  He finally found a small home and got to spread his wings, but peace would still be delayed. A year after losing his twin, a close friend was arrested and sentenced to prison. That friend’s mother gave him a used “Royal Langnickel” paint set. It wouldn’t be until later that year when he would put it to use. Little did he know that a restart at life would begin after the purchase of his first blank canvas.

Growing up, Jason was very shy and considered himself an introvert. He never thought about being a leader. It wasn’t until he took his mother’s advice about being more open with his life-story that he made the leap into the public art realm. He now uses his story attached with his curious, powerful paintings like an artistic evangelist. Jason went to college at the age of 17 but dropped out a few years later. Even though Jason never graduated college, he has collaborated with many Universities and Community Colleges in and around the East Tennessee and Appalachian Highlands regions performing lectures, exhibiting his work and jurying art shows.

Jason entered into the local art scene with a lot to say, a barrage of art, and presented with a contagious energy. He was determined to not only to get the publics’ attention, but to also uplift and showcase other artists. He is a fixture in the Tri-Cities & Appalachian Highlands areas. He is a beloved source of creative energy and a spirited community unifier with a broad audience of all ages, classes, and races. Jason attempts to steer his audience into thinking deeply about what is in our minds and in our souls. He believes skin-deep concerns are important, but are personal, and can be divisive if an artist doesn’t have a thoughtful message attached to their work. His paintings are diverse in thought, subject matter, AND in style.

Jason’s work garnered so much attention, the William King Museum of Art (Abingdon, Virginia) asked for him to do a solo show featuring his life’s work from the time he started painting (2010) all the way into his current work from June 2024 to January 2025. The show was titled, “FLACKATTACK! The Appalachian Battery. He is the recipient of the Art Alliance Mountain Empire Art Achievement Award for 2023. Jason’s work can be found all over downtown Johnson City, TN in private exhibits, and in the Reece Museum permanent collections including the Sammie L. Nicely Collection. Jason was a featured visionary speaker at TEDxJohnsonCity in 2023 and demonstration artist for TEDxJohnsonCity in 2024. Jason is also the recipient of the Phillip-Marshal Redmond Award for the 2024 FL3TCH3R Exhibit.


8 years old, third grade

In his basement studio (photo by Chris Aluka Berry)

Speaking at the SWVA Culture Center (Abingdon, VA)