Jason "JaFLEU" Fleurant is an Haitian American self-taught cartoonist. Raised in West Palm Beach, Fl he discovered his creative voice as a response to the earthquakes in Haiti in 2010 and since has gone on to create with a mission. He founded “Exhibit Treal” in his apartment in 2014 as an outlet for exhibiting his and fellow creatives of color artwork. Through it he would go on to curate exhibits in galleries such as all three floors of the 1310 Gallery in Ft Lauderdale, several Art Basel Exhibits and more.
As a visual artist, JaFLEU would see success in having his works exhibited internationally and in the homes of the likes of Scholar Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Senator Cory Booker, Recorded Artist Jill Scott, the late XXXtentacion, Spelling Bee Champion, Zaila Avant-Garde and more. In 2016, JaFLEU found his next step. He began studying cartooning and animation heavily. Leading to the rebranding of Exhibit Treal to "Fleurant's Studios" in 2021, and the birth of his brand of NAACP Image Award animations called "TREAL TOONZ" (created in 2017), which can be watched on black-owned indie streamer, kweliTV. JaFLEU’s Treal Toonz art has been selected as featured work during HULU’s Huluween.
Since then, through animated short films and Web-series like the multiple awards-winning "Reppin' Matterz" & “Peanut Headz: Black History Toonz). Peanut Headz: Black History Toonz has had the honor of being nominated for the 53rd NAACP Image Awards “Outstanding Animated Series” (2022).
Both series were screened on South Florida PBS as an Official Selection for Film-maker Project. They would also go one two win “Best Web Series” at the Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival (2020 & 2021) & Urban Film Festival 2020. The book JaFLEU self-published and would go and turn into an animated short “Teddy’s Big Break” won “Best Animated Short” at the 2021 Drive in Events.
Peanut Headz animated short about Yla Eason, was an Official Selection for the 2021 International Film Festival, where it was one of the few USA films screened at Kino Muza in Poland. And the international festival, Lima Web Fest, which is held in Lima, Peru. There not only was “Peanut Headz: Black History Toonz” placed in a public voting category for “Best Web Series” but it was Nominated for “Best Art Direction”. And has also screened in London and even the 4th Kenya International Sports Film Festival in Africa.
JaFLEU, who is also known as a Spoken Word artist who has performed on many stages, including as a feature on 2017’s FLO’pocalypse held at the Broward Center of Performing Arts. Would also combine his poetry and his animated works which would also produce award winners. His first, an animated short “To love your Blackness is a Revolutionary Act '' received the Ed Summer Supersnipe Animation Award at BIFF 2020. Following, his animated short “Pop, Pop, Pop” which address Police Brutality won “Best Animated Short” at Real Reel International Film Festival 2020 and his most popular spoken word piece turned animation “Young x Gifted & Black'' was awarded the Moziak Philanthropy “Future Arts Award 2021”and included as an Top 10 feature in The 50 artist virtual exhibit.
Jason "JaFLEU" Fleurant has made quite a lane for himself as an Indie Director/Filmmaker and Animator. Fully focused on telling the treal tales that swim in his mind and sharing black stories. His works can be watched on the Black-owned streaming network, Kweli TV. And along with Richard Jackson (NYCE Flix), Jason has created a film festival championing animation called “International Fleurant Flix Film Festival.