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Vishnu M Nair's avatar

Refreshingly candid, gentle, grounded.

Love James, his work (+ethic) is an engine for motivation.

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Robin Peckham's avatar

James is absolutely a consummate professional, extraordinary ability to execute on inspiration

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Anonymous's avatar

I needed this. Im an Artist first time dad with a 9 month old son. I’m having success but also feeling more lonely than ever. Tired than ever trying to optimize everything. Trying to be a good dad, husband, artist, business person. I’m not worthy to be aside my hero’s but far along that my local peers don’t understand what it’s taken. I think that’s life. Dealing with life as it comes. Picking the lesser of two evils. But always moving forward.

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Robin Peckham's avatar

One thing I’m learning from all these conversations is that no one gets to have it all but anyone can have a bit of everything. And the early bits are surely the trickiest! Back in May I covered a novel about the new sense of fragmentation that comes with making creative work with a baby around: https://www.nostossocialstudio.com/p/bookshelf-the-long-form

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Iac And's avatar

Thank you so much for this interview. I've been a fan of James for decades and it brings closure to be able to understand better the source of sadness in his work.

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Robin Peckham's avatar

Interesting! I definitely see a pervasive melancholy across his work, it’s a very rich sense of emotional spectrum isn’t it?

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Iac And's avatar

It's a full palette, but melancholy was what drew me in. Isolation, disconnect, misunderstanding, deprivation, withdrawal, longing, displacement. Heavy stuff, but coated with this soft drawing technique, calm lines and warm colours so it's shielding the viewer from the blow. I love his style.

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