James Ayers, Undaunted, oil, 12X9, $1,800

James Ayers

James Ayers' art reflects the emotional connections he has made with the indigenous peoples with whom he has spent time. These connections have enabled him to develop many visual images inspired by experience, exploration and observation of the different lands and people. These images have been enriched by James' personal ties to and admiration for the indigenous people of the world. James graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1991. He spent time traveling on foot with the semi-nomadic Samburu and Turkana people in Africa's Great Rift Valley. He then traveled for two years to Native American Reservations from Maine to Arizona, living with the Nipmuck and Iroquois in the Northeast, the Sioux in the Great Plains and the Hopi in the Southwest. These experiences have given him empathy with the struggle of indigenous people to survive in the modern world and a desire to keep the beauty, honor and tradition of these vanishing cultures alive through his art. His paintings can be found in collections throughout the United States.

James' primary medium is oil on canvas. James finds that oil paint is an ideal medium for capturing the depth, drama and spirit of the subject matter he paints.