Summary

Pricing, Shipping and Handling

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Color reproductions from the "Swanboats" section come complete in 11 x 14 mat with backing and acetate cover. Large scale reproductions are digitally mastered using high quality inks on real canvas. Canvas Repros, Lithographs and paintings are unframed. All items are signed by the artist.

Prices for original paintings differ but fall into 3 general categories: small (6x8) from $450, medium (20x24) from $1600 and large (30x40) from $3500. Please contact the artist regarding the price and availability of any specific painting.

Swanboats

James first brought his studio into the streets and parks of Boston in 1991; since then he has returned every year to paint outside from May through October. Licensed to display and sell his art, he originated what became an open air, mobile gallery which he transports with the aid of a small luggage cart and mans himself while perched on a camp stool, working on his latest painting. The artist's inspiration is continually renewed by the scenes around him as well as the lively discussions that are often generated among the people who come together around his easel.

Lithographs

Here is a series of lithographs which feature scenes of the artist's neighborhood and beyond. They could be considered autobiographical in that the artist intended them as a record of places he knows so well that the images seem to be generated more from memory than from direct observation. Lithography is a fascinating process which produces exquisitely beautiful tonal quality; in the hands of a master printer it is a medium capable of reproducing the subtlest touch of the artist's hand.

Boston Paintings

Here the focus is on the subtle patterns and textures that frame the more obvious enchantments found in the park. Even the paintings featuring statues seem more to portray the hidden magic of the setting rather than the statues themselves. While maintaining the control of the earlier Boston landscapes, these paintings are motivated nevertheless by the spirit of inquiry which characterizes the studio work.

Studio Paintings

With the more conventional landscape paintings, the artist has attempted to achieve a seamless realism that belies the brush. With the studio paintings, however, the intent is to show process and image in equal measure, using a more spontaneous mixture of materials to conjure unusual realities. The results are startling abstractions which have the look of something that you feel you ought to recognize. A broad and free usage of paint form allusions to unfamiliar landscapes and dreamy atmospheres that emerge from the spatters, swaths, and smudges of a vivid palette.

Nocturnes

The artist does not work with photos or from any definite view. Instead, he slowly brings forth the composition, coaxing out light to define a tree, stream or path, and when the image begins to suggest itself, he knows that it is time to stop. The simplest brushstroke hints at things a sharp edge could never encompass and it's best to leave them in this tentative state, like an echo, or a prayer.

Savin Hill Mural Project

The Mural, located on the east wall of 109 Savin Hill Avenue, is now five years old. It has weathered the elements well and is still in fine condition. The Mural Project was made possible by the Savin Hill community with additional funding support from Shaw's Supermarkets and the Edward Ingersoll Browne Trust Fund.