ARTIST NEWS

"Containers," an industrial landscape by Jim, was awarded a First Merit Ribbon for "good handling of media" in the 2010 June/July Firecracker Exhibit at the Visual Art Center in Punta Gorda.

Jim's watercolor painting of a rainy night street scene "Caffe Lavazza - Paris," won the Second Merit Prize at the June/July, 2009 Firecracker Exhibit at the Visual Art Center in Punta Gorda.

I studied at the Philadelphia Museum College of Art, the School of Visual Arts in New York and Sheridan College, in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.
    My background is primarily advertising design and commercial art, but I am now at a point where the majority of my time is spent working as an artist.
        I began the adventure of handling watercolors in 1957, studying under George Wilde, a prominent illustrator in Philadelphia.
       Later I joined the Schunnemunk Art Guild in Orange County, NY, where I began to sell much of my work, mostly watercolor landscapes and buildings of unusual character.
       While these are subjects I enjoy, I have added boats, ships and other waterfront scenes to my list of story telling subjects.
       By 1965 I was living in Orange County, New York and had established the Orange County Cultural Center. The center brought together artists, teachers, children and adults, all interested in the arts. A very gratifying experience.
       Three years later I left to open a branch office of my agency in Canada and ended up living there, painting and selling my work when time permitted.
       I continued my watercolor studies at the Burlington Cultural Center, in Burlington, Ontario, Canada.    
       In 1991 my family and I moved to Florida, and now reside in the Punta Gorda area.
I am continuing to do watercolors and will also work in acrylics, and mixed media when the subject seems to dictate the use of the medium.
    I am presently a member of the Charlotte County Art Guild, the Florida Watercolor Society, and the Suncoast Watercolor Society and am an associate member of the National Watercolor Society and the American Watercolor Society.
    My work can also be seen at  the Collector's Wall and Karchelle’s galleries in Sarasota, Florida and at  the Englewood Frame Shop, and Frames Of Mind in Englewood, Florida.

Visit Jim's website at www.beechartstudio.com