Gallerina

Born in Darlington in 1977, James studied Fine Art at Nottingham Trent University before returning to his hometown, where he continues to live and work.

He began exhibiting at Gallerina in 2006 and has shown his work here on a permanent basis ever since. Throughout his career, James has brought a fresh perspective to the pulp, kitsch, and undervalued imagery of yesteryear re-establishing their impact through his distinctive style and remarkable technical skill.

Often described by his peers as a “painter’s painter,” James is admired by many contemporary artists for his vision, precision, and execution. 

James’ work often reflects his love of early Pop Art, though he moves effortlessly into portraiture, always maintaining his signature emphasis on fluid, expressive mark-making. In 2009, he was featured alongside Gallerina in the BBC One flagship arts programme Imagine, which followed his creative process as he undertook a commissioned portrait. Today, commissioned work remains a significant and rewarding part of his artistic practice.

Due to his distinctive style, James’ artwork is a natural fit for editorials and magazine covers. His illustrations have featured in The Sunday Express magazine, graced covers for Hawker Beechcraft’s Journey magazine, and formed the basis of Ray-Ban’s ‘Never Hide’ advertising campaign.

More recently, James created the movie poster artworks for ‘Last Night in Soho ‘(starring Anya Taylor-Joy), ‘Sister Midnight’—which received multiple nominations at the British Independent Film Awards and the 2025 BAFTAs—and David Fincher’s ‘The Killers ‘(starring Michael Fassbender).

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