ABOUT JIM

As a child, I remember having so many diverse interests, my educators thought I might have A.D.D.  As it turns out I am an intensely curious person wanting to discover all about whatever came up.  I liked drawing from the beginning in grade school and was not allowed to take art in high school as my parents wanted me to go to college and study computer technology.  After failing college prep courses, I finally got to take beginning art as a senior.

 

Upon graduation, I entered the University of Hartford Art School and enrolled in figure drawing.  The next year I was encouraged to witness the sculptor studio where I immediately fell in love.

 

My sculpture teacher encouraged me to go to New York City
to pursue my dream to become an artist.  Fortunately I did not starve or live in a garret but had a storefront studio and worked
as a cab driver.  Just for fun I made 3 ' pastel portraits of my coworkers and friends while attending the National Academy School of Fine Arts.  From there I met a woman who was writing
a book about community living, so we bought a school bus and we traveled around the country visiting communes.

 

During that time I supported myself with various art projects, carpentry, welding and whatever was needed. 

 

In 1974, I traveled to West Virginia to live in a commune at the end of the road. It was an important time - I met the Director of Arts and Crafts for the state.  A friend helped me to set up a portable bronze casting foundry with which I exhibited casting at the State Fair.  That led me to meet the Director of the National Endowment for the Arts and subsequently established the Wayne County Art Council, a nonprofit 501c3 organization in which I was the Executive Director and Artist in Residence.

 

I started a family and wound up as a single parent.  I moved to California and decided to pursue a college education in art. 
I took ceramic classes at Mendocino Community College. 
After earning my AA degree in Art, I decided to pursue a BA
at Sonoma State University, which I accomplished.  I took classes in ceramics and sculpture.

 

For the next 15 to 20 years, I worked as a general contractor to support my family and used my creative skills in a practical way. 
I designed houses, additions, decks, gazebos and various garden structures. 

 

Now that my children are grown, I am pursuing my love for color with watercolors.  I like the quickness and immediacy of the idea's transference to paper.  I have been painting with watercolors for several years and have recently started working with acrylics. 
I printed some cards of my work and found that people like the art cards and I have sold paintings as well which inspired me to pursue the program with Sebastopol Art Center called Art at the Source.

 

This event, where I will open my studio to the public, will be on June 6 & 7 and June 13 & 14 here in Santa Rosa in beautiful Sonoma County, California.

 

In the past 60 years, those early diverse interests have developed me into an accomplished artist, sculptor, musician, singer, high school track coach, and general contractor. It was not easy I am glad I pushed through negative feedback and followed my dreams. Do not let negative input from others keep you from pursuing your dreams, whatever they may be!