James Coleman was born in Hollywood, California, in 1949. At and early age, he developed a love of nature and the outdoors. His father was a teacher, so every summer was spent traveling throughout the United States. On these trips, his respect for nature grew, and so did the desire to translate his impressions into drawings and paintings.
Coleman's career in the motion picture industry began at age 20, when he was hired in 1969 by [Walt Disney Productions]. Although his first position was in the mail room, Coleman soon became one of Disney's top artists. Only four years later, Coleman was promoted to lead painter and supervisor of the animation background department. Serving as art director, background stylist, and color designer, Coleman's artwork was a fundamental part of every Disney animated film from Winnie the Pooh and The Little Mermaid to the monumental Beauty and the Beast.
Although Coleman is continually sought after today for motion picture work, his goal for many years was to make the transition from film art to fine art. Referring to his artwork of today, Coleman says, "I wanted to take what was in my heart and translate it onto canvas, using the techniques I learned at Disney." Now he spends the majority of his time creating these important pieces. Infused with light, color, movement, and the timelessness of nature itself, Coleman's radiant landscapes seem to truly calm the soul and inspire the heart.
Because of his impressive talent and experience, Coleman's artworks are greatly valued by collectors around the world. His works are part of significant corporate and private collections, including the Disney family's collection. In addition, his work is represented by some of the most prominent galleries in North America, and has been featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and in traveling exhibits around the world.
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