61. James McClung: Painting as Storytelling; the WHY behind the Painting; Appreciating Yourself

James McClung (he/him) is a self-taught artist, an adventurer, a traveler and skateboarder. Seeking inspiration from his life and travels, his original art features an array of thought-provoking visuals, such as those found in the landscapes of Joshua Tree, the Central Valley of California, the solitudes of New Mexico and west Texas, the streets of Amsterdam and Stockholm, New York and India, LA and the outskirts of the Coconino Navajo County in Arizona. James established himself as an artist in the contemporary art and graphic design communities by working with clients such as Riverside Art Museum, The Cheech: Center for Chicano Art & Culture, Stereo Skateboards, Life & Thyme, and Parliament Chocolate, among others. Through raw talent and an admirable work ethic, James consistently delivers beautiful and timeless content with unique style. He hopes his paintings show that there is a big world out there that has a different point of view than where you or I come from and that there is something to learn from other cultures or cities. Most of the work James does is driven and inspired by places he has traveled and how images from these places correlate to what life experiences he is going through at the time. James is all about collaboration and community. He believes that the intersection of art, community and social change are more important than ever.

James talks about painting from his life and what is going on in front of him. He captures intimate moments in his paintings and new ways to look at his own life. James connects art, skateboarding and running and notes how they all are a process to achieve one outcome. He sees skateboarding as performance art. He sees running more as a dance. James speaks about the influence from a teacher that showed him the confidence he needed to pursue art. He asks himself what his art means to his life and he wants to create a story with his paintings. James is real about how painting is not always fun and how he is his worst critic, and running allows him to shut his mind off and clear his head. He is done trying to paint this world outside of his daily life. He is still learning to appreciate himself and not be so hard on himself.

James lives on Yuhaaviatam/Maarenga’yam (Serrano), Tongva, and Cahuilla land.

Book recommendations:
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

Find James @jmsmcclng and jamesmcclungart.com Order Prints!!!!

When in Redlands, CA, check out The Running Center www.runningcenters.com &
The Overland theoverlandbar.com