Self taught, Jim has always had a fascination with the human face and portraiture quickly became his main focus in drawing. In his early teens, Jim would draw various individuals featured on magazine covers, such as TV guide, Life, etc... Jim finds that the greatest downside to being a portrait artist, is the difficulty in building a portfolio, when most of your work is commissioned. Many times, Jim finds it difficult to let a commissioned piece go after becoming attached in the creation process. Although he is and always will be a painter, he has become very involved in drawing again.

Jim says, "There is always a personal soul touching experience with a drawing, as my focus is drawn closer to the aspect of the subject. When painting, I lose much of that in the process of mixing colors and generating a schematic in my mind that takes me from the art itself. I must find the connection between what it represents and how it will be perceived by others"

Jim has been commissioned for portraitures, reproductions, restorations, murals, signage, illustrations, etc.., over the past 25 years. His work currently includes portraiture in graphite, carbon, charcoal (separate and mixed)and oil on canvas. While Jim is capable of creating a portrait from the clients' photos, the preferred method for developing a piece is for Jim to shoot his own photographic study of the subject in the desired setting.