Craftours Lifestyles Magazine December 2018 | Page 35

the Range
Trails Leading Home
advertising over two decades kept his drawing
skills honed, and let him paint in his free time.
The thought of being an artist full time never
entered his thinking.
“I grew up hearing ‘starving artist’ like it was
one word. I liked to draw, and would be asked
all the time ‘Are you going to be a starving
artist?’ The negative connotation stuck with
me. I mean, who wants to starve? I knew the
occasional pop-culture artist would sometimes
gain notoriety in certain New York social
circles while still living, but that most noted
artists needed death before validation.
“Or so I thought. Once I learned that in fact
a number of people do make their living as an
artist, I was determined to find my place in
that life. That began with educating myself in
painting and business.“
To make his chosen career a success, Jim has
had to impose self-discipline “I generally go
to the studio at 8, after I’ve taken care of the
morning chores on the farm, and work until
10.” As a full-time artist, “I’m in charge of
everything -- raw materials (paints, brushes,