James McCarten, a Curry County artist from Brookings, exhibits “Coastal Artscapes: Oil Paintings by Jim McCarten.” Watch the video that accompanies his exhibit below:
James expressed an interest in art at an early age and was encouraged by his mother to draw and paint. He began formal lessons in New Jersey at the age of ten. His family moved to California in 1968, where he continued his art education attending Foothill College and completing a bachelor of arts degree in studio art at the University of California, Davis.
A number of people have contributed to McCarten’s artistic training, including Roland Peterson, Michael Henderson and Richard Gauze. His work has been exhibited in galleries and shows in the San Francisco Bay area and northern California.
Using oils, McCarten’s techniques of layering, curing and applying thinner contribute to the unique textural and transparent effects in his compositions. Nature’s varied texture and light are the main source of inspiration for the artist.
McCarten describes art as a journey of imagery and color; his canvas is his window from which passes an extensive collection of landscapes and vistas.
His work has been exhibited in Oregon, where he took first place in the 2008 Brookings Annual Azalea Art Show and received honorable mention in the 2006 Oregon Regional Art Exhibit at the Coos Art Museum. A resident of Brookings, he has been an active member of the Pelican Bay Art Association at the Manley Art Center since 2005.