James is an artist, writer, actor and director. As a visual artist, he creates work in a variety of mediums, including oil painting, mixed media, and wood sculpture. His wall sculpture Winter Solstice was featured in the Monmouth County Arts Council’s 2019 show “Out of the Blue,” and his oil panting Transcending the Terrestrial was featured in the Monmouth County Art’s Council’s 2021 show “Sanctuary.” In 2022, James’ oil painting Taos Pueblo Door received a Talent Award in Teravarna’s 6th annual Open Art Competition, and in 2023, Taos Pueblo Door received a Finalist Award in Camelback Gallery’s Artist Choice X International Exhibit.His book Celebrating the Solstices, a guide to celebrating the Winter and Summer Solstice, was published in 2019, under the author name Jim T. Donovan. In his acting career, as Jim Donovan, he has played lead and character roles, in regional theaters and in television and film. Stage roles have included P.T. Barnum, Elwood P. Dowd, and Galileo, and Shakespeare’s Oberon/Theseus, Sir Toby Belch, and Trinculo, among many others. In film and television, he played the role of the accountant and lawyer in the new Netflix show Brown Nation, appeared as Michael in the film The Mutineer, released in October 2017 and appeared in the 2019 award-winning short film A Cigarette on Division Street. James earned an MFA from the University of California at Irvine and a BA from Temple University. Connection to community has always been a big part of James’ work. He has provided dynamic and engaging talks to schools and community groups about the Solstices and about local history. A practiced carpenter, mason, and chef, James is also an award-winning gardener. Visit https://seasonsinmind.com
