Meet Jake Virant | Dad, Husband, Artist, Server

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jake Virant and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jake, why did you pursue a creative career?
I got sober 5 years ago.

I was a big drinker for around 15 years and when you quit you tend to have a lot of extra time on your hands. So, I just went back to trying things I enjoyed doing before I started drinking. I started working out again, skateboarding, I tried getting into sneaker design, but painting was the one that stuck.

As a kid, I always saw myself as an artist. That was the dream. Now that I was sober, I gave myself a chance at redemption.

4 years ago I was working on a painting of Scooby Doo and Shaggy driving through a mountain town and I told my wife that if I could finish it I would try to make this a full-time thing. It took months to finish, making sure it was perfect, it was even one of the handful of items we took with us when we were evacuated due to the East Troublesome fire back in 2020. It’s now in my kids room and stays as a reminder to keep going and to never give up on the dream.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Is it easy? Not really, but it’s worth it. I used to think “Man, I wish I would’ve started this thing before we had kids” but now I think about how great it is that we get to do this with the kids right by my side, they get to see the work the gets put in and the magic that art provides for our family. I’m a strong believer that if you just keep at it, the universe will provide.

I heard a quote a while ago, “Paint what you know”. So there is a lot of cartoony aspects to most pieces going back to when I used to draw as a kid. There’s still a lot of ‘Mark Kistler’s Imagination Station’ in my work.

Living in Colorado, wildlife plays a big part in a lot of the art I have completed. However, I’ve always had this dream of painting football portraits and working alongside athletes or fans to create the perfect piece for their home or mancave. Working for Pat McAfee or Coach Prime is something I’ve had on my Vision Board this past year, so that would be pretty sweet.

I’ve always enjoyed trying different things, and being in new places, never afraid to move and start over, and I believe my art reflects that. If I feel like painting a Big Horn Sheep or a VW Bus or Dumb & Dumber then that’s what I paint.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We live in Estes Park, CO, next to Rocky Mountain National Park. Hiking and wildlife viewing are always on the top of the list. I love going up to the tundra and looking for Big Horn Sheep or Marmots, or popping down into Grand Lake and spotting a few moose.

As far as restaurants go, The Rock Inn on the west side of town (WESTES) is a very special place. The food is incredible. The staff, the owners are all such amazing people and make you feel welcome each time you walk in the door. They have great live music each night and are huge supporters of our local art scene. I’ve been displaying my art there for the past two years and they have played a massive part in the small success I have had and making my dreams a reality. I’ll forever be indebted to them and I am so grateful and honored for the opportunity to display there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh man, shoutout to My Wife, Keely. She’s been with me through all of the b*llshit. All the drinking and the late nights and she’s always supported me.

She’s the best person I know. When we had our first son, Lincoln, we decided that she would be a stay-at-home Mom. When Linc was 2, he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. On top of being Super Mom, she’s also been his pancreas for the past 6 years and home schools both Lincoln and our daughter Millie Mae.

She’s always so positive, about life and about my art, especially when I’m not happy with how a certain piece is going or if there is an original that hasn’t sold for some time, she’ll say “Every one of your paintings will find its perfect home.”

I paint so I can stay home and help and be around her and the kids more often.

Website: https://JakeVirantArt.com

Instagram: jakevirant

Image Credits
Emily Gordon was the photographer for the main photo. Local photographer out of Estes Park