Talkin' All That Jazz

Tim Okamura is a Brooklyn based painter whose work investigates identity, environment, metaphor, and cultural iconography through a unique blend of realism and mixed media. His juxtaposition of street art and classic academic styles creates a distinct visual language that balances the traditional story-telling of portraiture with modern contemporary motifs.

Tim has exhibited extensively in galleries throughout the world, garnering international attention and multiple celebrity collectors. His work has been featured at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., the National Portrait Gallery in London, England, MASS MoCA, and the National Arts Club. In 2006 he was short-listed for a commissioned portrait of the Queen of England.

Born in Edmonton, Canada, he earned a B.F.A. at the Alberta College of Art and Design before moving to New York City to attend the School of Visual Arts in 1991. After graduating with an M.F.A. in Illustration as Visual Journalism, he moved to Brooklyn, New York, where he continues to live and work.