About James:

James was born in Ft. Worth TX, with a twin brother Jason. At an early age, both showed a natural aptitude for drawing. They took art classes throughout their youth, including advanced placement art during their junior and senior years of high school.

The Adcox family eventually left  Plano, TX, their home of 12 years, and moved to the rural town of Nevada, TX. It was there that James' appreciation for the outdoors flourished, as well as his desire to capture the natural world on paper and canvas. He enrolled at Colin County Community College, where he graduated with an AA in fine art. James concentrated on landscapes and portraits, specifically on figures within their environment. He was heavily influenced by rural Texas and therefore painted images such as a farmer resting against a fence post, a vagabond in flannel, and an old gas station.

James had always felt a calling for the north, and after a short time teaching charcoal drawing, he moved to Fairbanks, Alaska. Like his paintings in Texas, James continued to use the world around him as inspiration for his artwork.

An offer to teach art at the Northwestern Alaska Career and Technical Center (NACTEC) afforded James the opportunity to experience rural Alaska, so in 2005 he moved to Nome. As a recruiter for NACTEC, he often made trips to the villages of the Seward Peninsula, and Bering Strait islands. With sketchpad and camera he documented the life of rural Alaskans. He began painting the Inupiat and Yupik people drumming, dancing, hunting and living. James is passionately intrigued by these cultures and their way of life, and finds limitless scenes to paint.

James' mission when painting is to portray reality; to convey the personality of his portraits and awe of his landscapes. He strives to be honest to the colors and proportions of nature. With a humble studio and supportive new wife, James continues to paint the world he loves.