Nathan b. Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada, studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design before moving to London, UK where he currently lives and works.
Painting in oil, on canvas or linen, James focuses on the lives and worlds of the underclass, failures, perverts and slackers, rather than
beautiful, successful people. Bleak comedy and personal tragedy sit uncomfortably close together in James’ characters, which draw on both the failed industrial background of his childhood in Ontario, and the fantastical world of cartoons, characters and the golden age of Hollywood, which has long fascinated him.
“As an artist, I am constantly searching for new ways to push the boundaries of traditional art forms. In my paintings, I aim to blend the timeless appeal of vintage pinup girls with the playful, exaggerated features of caricatured cartoon faces. By combining these two seemingly disparate elements, I am able to create a unique visual language that is both nostalgically familiar and playfully absurd.
Through the use of bold colours, exaggerated proportions, and dynamic compositions, I seek to create a sense of energy and movement within each piece. My goal is to capture the essence of the pinup aesthetic, while simultaneously subverting and modernising it through the use of cartoon elements.
Ultimately, my hope is that my paintings will spark a sense of joy and whimsy in the viewer, inviting them to take a step back and see the world in a more lighthearted and imaginative way.”
