James received a Master of Fine Arts degree in ceramics and sculpture from Carnegie Mellon University in 1984 and a B.F.A. from Marietta College. He was commissioned to do several outdoor sculptures for the Three Rivers Arts Festival in 1996 entitled, Points of Departure.

He has been instrumental in the education, cross-disciplinary collaboration and promotion of all of the arts in the Pittsburgh area.

"One does what one is good at hopefully.. I was always good at making something from nothing. Creative thinking, use of the imagination, What America is about.

I was also a good athlete. Football I loved, but was too small. Track, the hurdles, pole-vaulting, the mile relay team, but individualization. (Jung)

Wrestling was me: I was varsity for eight years and coach for six.

My earth disks are layers of creative thought which represent our existence, containers of sound and shadow.

Art is about magic, mystery, and meditation ."