James Tatum

James Tatum, painter, photographer and poet was born in 1944.  He showed early interests in drawing, writing, photography and architecture.  After his formal education, at first in English, History and Philosophy and later in Economics, Business Law and Management, he began, what turned out to be, a long career in industrial design, engineering and manufacturing in Canada.  He still found time to draw and paint during his travels.  He moved from Canada to the United Kingdom in 1987.  In 2007, he moved from London to Devon in order to paint full time.  

James primarily paints expressionistic landscapes of the West Country or wherever his travels take him.  All of his paintings begin en plein air and the larger works are then completed in his studio in Exeter.  His paintings are concerned with balancing close observation and structure with his emotional, visceral responses to the landscape.  His goal is to make paintings which are physically exciting and therefore involve experiment and risk taking. 

“My goal in painting is to show the world in a new and personal way. It often involves simplifying the scene to try to capture its essence and inner spirit as I see it. I am particularly interested in the effects of light, shadow and movement. The paintings often incorporate the use of rough textures as the picture may warrant. I am interested in trying to capture my direct and often passionate responses to a scene which convey something of what it felt like to be there, more than mere depictions. Making a painting is a fight and a struggle… and you do not always win… that’s the risk… but a risk that has to be taken. 

For me, painting is a celebration of mystery. It’s the wisdom of uncertainty and insecurity. The asking of questions without answers. It values imagination over reason. The fiction that points towards the truth.” 

James regularly exhibits with the South West Academy (elected Academician March 2014) and is represented throughout the United Kingdom by several galleries from Kent to Cornwall as well as in Holland and Switzerland.  His paintings are in private collections in the UK, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the USA.