There is a quiet in nature that almost feels unreal. If you have ever been to some of the fringe places of the Everglades, you get that feeling.
It’s a world that artist Jason Barth does a fantastic job of creating. At the age of 15, when most kids are just trying to get their homework done on time, Barth was a published and paid illustration artist. He illustrated the cover and sections of The Dade County Environment Story, published by the Friends of the Everglades. It was first published in 1984 and continues to be republished. His artwork, even at this young age, showed just how deeply he is connected to nature.
Barth has continued that early success well into his career. He has won several competitions and was chosen as the featured artist for Islamorada’s Island Fest in 2017, Uncorked in 2015, the Upper Keys Garden Club in 2015 and the First State Bank Key Largo Bridge Run in 2022. With all of these accolades, Barth should be a household name in the Upper Keys.
The first thing you notice about Barth when you meet him is his comfort in being an artist. It is as if he always knew he was going to be an artist.
Barth is very friendly, often helps his fellow artists and cares deeply about nature, using his art to help further environmental causes. He focuses his energy on doing acrylics featuring wildlife, botanicals, land and seascapes. He also does portraits and murals. Barth is clearly an artist of many talents.
With the outstanding detail in his work, it is clear to see that he is inspired by the Italian Renaissance artists Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Caravaggio. He said the Dutch master Rembrandt is a source of inspiration. Within his own catalog, one of Barth’s favorite pieces is of a graphite pencil work he did in 1986.
Doing a mural is not an easy job — many people don’t understand the amount of work it takes to make a good-looking mural. You are often not working on the best of surfaces and it is hard to keep the scale of the work correct. Barth is a true muralist, creating murals up and down the Florida Keys. You have probably seen some of this work while traveling through the Keys.
“I love painting murals and from Shark Key to Key Largo, I’ve lost count,” Barth said. “They are mostly in private residences. It feels impossible for me to have a favorite. There is a piece of me in each one. But, the mermaids with the coral background hold a very special place in my heart.”
There is a Greek myth that says a painter painted a mural so realistically that birds would fly into the wall trying to eat the grapes that he painted. This style of mural painting that gives realistic depth is called trompe l’oeil. Barth practices the style in his murals, giving an uncanny depth where you feel like you can step into the painting. Fittingly, trompe l’oeil translates into “fool the eye.”
One of the characteristics of Barth’s work is his outstanding attention to detail. He paints with really small brushes and painstakingly adds the detail.
“I have a habit of not wanting to stop with the details. I sometimes forget that the viewer won’t be as close as I am when painting,” he said.
One animal that you often see in Barth’s work is the octopus. He loves to paint them because they are always different and always have a different pose.
“You can just do so much with an octopus,” he said. Barth’s work can be found at Key Largo Art Gallery at MM 103.2, Our Place in Paradise at MM 88.7, and the Fish House Restaurant at MM 102.4. Barth does commissions and murals; he can be reached at jsbpaintmonkey@yahoo.com.
