Work samples

  • HappyDaysAreHereAgain.jpg
    HappyDaysAreHereAgain.jpg
    Oil painting on canvas of live model musician
  • GJFireMob.jpg
    GJFireMob.jpg
    watercolor from the 2018 Gilets Jaunes protests series
  • Shade.jpg
    Shade.jpg
    Santa Cruz adolescent beach scene
  • HamburgWarehouseDistrict.jpg
    HamburgWarehouseDistrict.jpg
    Oil on board detailed work of Hamburg warehouse district

About James

Baltimore artist, MICA grad 1979
oil and watercolor 
live and photo sources
people and landscapes mostly

Jump to a project:

Gilets Jaunes

A series of watercolors based on live YouTube coverage of the Paris protests

  • Paris Police Gathering.jpg
    Paris Police Gathering.jpg
    Group of police responding to protests in Paris
  • 2policeEiffel.jpg
    2policeEiffel.jpg
    Two police ready for protestors near the Effiel Tower
  • DijonCrowdBurn.jpg
    DijonCrowdBurn.jpg
    Dijon France, fiery protests
  • Bordeau Night Protests.jpg
    Bordeau Night Protests.jpg
    Bordeaux protests near Christmas
  • Fleeing.jpg
    Fleeing.jpg
    Tear Gas protesters
  • Stone throwers in Dijon.jpg
    Stone throwers in Dijon.jpg
    Violence in Dijon
  • GJFireMob.jpg
    GJFireMob.jpg
    Paris protests week 2 gets more violent
  • A Crowd Develops Out Of Nowhere.jpg
    A Crowd Develops Out Of Nowhere.jpg
    Quick sketch of protest developing into a crowd
  • CoCoChanel.jpg
    CoCoChanel.jpg
    Early on CoCo Channel
  • Far From Romantic.jpg
    Far From Romantic.jpg
    Few remaining protestors in Bordeaux evening protests

Seacliff, Santa Cruz

Series of beach scenes based on modified photos from Seacliff beach in Santa Cruz.  The original photos had the bluest skies, that were too blue to be real. In my efforts to find a more realistic sky, I became enthralled by their modifications and choose to paint them. Some light and impressionistic, some dark and surreal. 
All paintings are 22" x 24" and are oil on canvas. 
  • ShadeSmaller.jpg
    ShadeSmaller.jpg
    Seeking shade and alone time on the beach
  • Surf's Up.jpg
    Surf's Up.jpg
    Beach scenes, Seacliff, Santa Cruz, surfs up
  • Family Beach Day.jpg
    Family Beach Day.jpg
    Family going to the beach
  • Busy Afternoon at the Beach.jpg
    Busy Afternoon at the Beach.jpg
    Beach pagoda, seagull, Santa Cruz
  • Luminousity.jpg
    Luminousity.jpg
    Young surfer waiting for the next wave
  • Picnic for three.jpg
    Picnic for three.jpg
    High contrast, psychedelic picnic
  • Sunset Surfing.jpg
    Sunset Surfing.jpg
    Young surgery wading for the sun to set and for the next wave
  • volley.jpg
    volley.jpg
    Abstracted beach volley ball in Santa Cruz. Oil on canvas 20 x 22

People

Collection of portraits primarily from extension live model sessions at the studio of Karen Warshal in Bolten Hill.  Primarily oils, but a few recent watercolors are included. 
  • Leon's Back.jpg
    Leon's Back.jpg
    My neighbor Leon's back. Oil on canvas, charcoal base drawing sealed in amber shellac.
  • Valentines Day.jpg
    Valentines Day.jpg
    16 x 20 oil on canvas of pensive first time model.
  • The message.jpg
    The message.jpg
    Oil on canvas studio of actress Luz Nicolas, a popular model for artists in Baltimore
  • Waterolor of Vini.jpg
    Waterolor of Vini.jpg
    Watercolor, live session of a very visible senior model.
  • Seriously Luz.jpg
    Seriously Luz.jpg
    Luz Nicolas months before a tragic role in a New York play. Very much in character. Oil on board.
  • Visibly Vini.jpg
    Visibly Vini.jpg
    Oil vision of Luz, independent of earlier watercolor, 11 x 14 oil on canvas. Built layers.
  • Madeleine McCann.jpg
    Madeleine McCann.jpg
    Warholian treatment of Madeleine McCann missing poster. Two independent charcoal on canvas, sealed with clear shellac. One received numerous colored glazes, the other not
  • Reclining-Nude.jpg
    Reclining-Nude.jpg
    Reclining nude in a comfortable classic time freeze.
  • Cello player.jpg
    Cello player.jpg
    Cello player in what turned out to be a difficult pose (for her).
  • Happy Days.jpg
    Happy Days.jpg
    Colorful musician model. Oil on canvas

and Places

Oils and watercolors and a graphite drawing are in this collection, both plein air and from photos of my travels.
  • Yosemite.jpg
    Yosemite.jpg
    36 x 24 oil on canvas painting of a Yosemite face cliff near Nevada falls.
  • Near Crisfield Maryland.jpg
    Near Crisfield Maryland.jpg
    Eastern shore wetlands near Crisfield. In studio completion of plain air effort.
  • Hamburg Warehouse District.jpg
    Hamburg Warehouse District.jpg
    Realistic rendering of the Hamburg Germany warehouse district. Oil on board.
  • Graphite Yosemite Drawing.jpg
    Graphite Yosemite Drawing.jpg
    Graphite study of Yosemite cliff face for a painting of same.
  • Shipyard, Curtis Bay.jpg
    Shipyard, Curtis Bay.jpg
    Plein air effort of Silos Point shipyard. Some post studio touches. Oil on 10 x 20 canvas.
  • Curtis Bay.jpg
    Curtis Bay.jpg
    Warehouse in Curtis Bay. 14 x 19 oil pan board.
  • Janes Island.jpg
    Janes Island.jpg
    Janes Island, October, nearing dusk. Oil on board.
  • US 5, Mid California.jpg
    US 5, Mid California.jpg
    Watercolor of central California
  • Florianopolis.jpg
    Florianopolis.jpg
    Florianopolis Brazil, surfer's paradise. Oil on canvas.
  • Deep brush, Eastern Shore.jpg
    Deep brush, Eastern Shore.jpg
    wet land brush, landscape, eastern shore, oil on board.