Hello my name is Jason Bentley. I'm an American fine artist from Chicago. In 2019 I moved to Scotland with my wife (who is Scottish). I keep a studio in Merchant City, Glasgow, where I enjoy teaching, taking on commissions and making work for galleries. I love discipline based activities. I sing and play guitar, and have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I also have a 'pretend" black belt in cooking and mixology. I'm very devoted to craft and refinement! This journey in refining my skills as a "lifelong student" has led me to study traditional art at the Glasgow Academy of Fine Art, where I graduated in 2024. I believe that teaching completes the lifecycle of this discipline. In this, a culture of growth can be nurtured and recycled, serving the student, teacher, and community that I am proud to be a part of!
My experience with watercolour goes further back than my experiences here. As a child, a pencil was always in hand, but when I began taking studio courses in collage, I discovered watercolour and fell completely in love. Despite my refinements in drawing and painting in oils over the years, I've maintained a deep connection with watercolour. I'm known in my teaching community as "that guy that can do both!"
I've been happily teaching for 15 years. Here, in Scotland, privately from my studio, and in workshop and school environments including the Edinburgh Drawing School. This year I received an Honorable Mention from the Art Renewal Center and exhibited with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters in London.
About my Teaching:
I love process and clarity. As a person who prefers straightforwardness in my own studies and pursuits, I work to design a learning language that makes sense for my students. I will teach you how to develop an instinct and selective eye for constructing form in stages, starting simply, then building in complexity. This approach will work for many subjects. So there is lots for you to explore and enjoy. As you need, we will discuss theory and materials in great depth, preparing you to embrace the subjects with confidence. All levels of experience are welcome.