Hart James explores the inherent connection between the individual and their home, the Earth. With a deep knowledge of the Northwest Mystics. She paints in an abstract manner to carry this tradition forward to the present. James’s work speaks of the energy of nature—the current of the water, the flow of the air over us, and the rock formations that form the foundation under our feet. Using oil, and charcoal, every painting is an attempt to reunite with an existence symbiotic with the natural world.

Hart James studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, the San Francisco Art Institute, and with Anne Truitt, Vera Berdich, and Ed Pashcke, among others. In addition she studied art history and biology at Northwestern, which has provided a strong background for her devotion to the arts. She has attended artist residencies across the country including Oxbow, Morris Graves Foundation, Seaside, and the Vermont Studio Residency.