James McCallum was born in Paisley in 1968 and educated in Lochaber. He graduated from Gray's School of Art in 1990 - B.A (Hons) in Fine Art. Shortly after graduation the artist took up his scholarship from the Royal Scottish Academy and studied in Italy, based in Florence - 1990-91. The Artist’s work explores the human condition, its varied cultures and civilisations, and attempts to manipulate, what he believes to be, the essential ingredients of this human condition into a pictorial language. The Images are predominantly figurative, in order to develop an immediate rapport with the audience, and to identify them as descendant products of a narrative tradition in Scottish Art. The work is of multiple sources; philosophy, religion, psychology, art, sex, race, history , politics and poetry.

"After the personal battle to communicate the ideas through me Artists chosen medium has been fought, the paintings remain. It is the work of the paintings to raise the questions, not to provide the answers but to make us think for ourselves."

In addition to his personal artistic development, the Artist continues to be involved in various projects outwith the production and exhibition of his own work.

Solo Exhibitions
2000 - THE RENDEZVOUS GALLERY, ABERDEEN - "Recent works"
CLACHANMORE GALLERY, ARDWELL , STRANRAER

1996 - THE RENDEZVOUS GALLERY, ABERDEEN - "Masquerade"
1995 - THE GATEHOUSE GALLERY, GLASGOW - "Recent works"
1993 - THE RENDEZVOUS GALLERY, ABERDEEN - "One year from Knossos"
1992 - ABERDEEN CITY ART CENTRE - "Recent Works"

Mixed Exhibitions Include
The Royal Scottish Academy
The Rendezvous Gallery -Aberdeen
The Gatehouse Gallery - Glasgow
Clachanmore Gallery - Stranraer
Aberdeen Artists
Roger Billcliffe Fine Art - Glasgow
Peacock Printmakers - Aberdeen
The Compass Gallery - Glasgow
Kilmorack Gallery - Beauly
The Stable Gallery - Inverary
The Morven Gallery - Isle of Lewis
Highland Open
London Art Fare
Glasgow Art Fare
1999 - TWO MAN SHOW - "PIPER" (CECI N'EST PAS UNE PIPE)
A collaborative exhibition with Matt Sillars. Paintings and black and white photography, exploring the visual stimulus from the world of pipe music and its relative impact on the individual artist’s practice.

Film Studio and Location Experience
2002 STAND -BY PROP - 'ROCKFACE II' -SCOTLAND/LONDON & NORWAY.
Union Pictures for BBC. Designer - Rob Hinds, Prop Master - Mike Povee.
2002 STAND -BY PROP - 'MONARCH OF THE GLEN IV'
Scotia Films for BBC. Designer - Dave Arrowsmith , Prop Master Bob Orr.
2002 ARTIST (SET DECORATING) -'BOND XX' PINEWOOD STUDIOS LONDON
Eon Productions. Set decorator - Simon Wakefield, Prop Master - Ty Tieger.
2001 STANDBY PROP - 'ROCKFACE' - ON LOCATION IN SCOTLAND

2001 DRESSING PROP - 'THE ROCKET POST' - ON LOCATION IN SCOTLAND
Rocket PostLtd. Designer- Alison Reeva, Property Master -Gordon Fitzgerald.

2000-01 DRESSING PROP - 'DINOTOPIA' - PINEWOOD STUDIOS LONDON
Hallmark Entertainment. Director - Marco Brambilla, Designer - Walter
Martishius, Set Decorator - Peter Walpole, Prop Master - Arthur Wicks.

2000 PROP ARTIST - 'DINOTOPIA' (details as above / Set Decorator - Simon
Wakefield)

1997 DRESSING PROP - 'MY LIFE SO FAR' - ON LOCATION IN SCOTLAND
Enigma Moss Ltd. Producer - David Putman, Director - Hugh Hudson,
Prop Master - Arthur Wicks.

1995 ARTIST - 'SURVIVING PICASSO' - P1NEWOOD STUDIOS LONDON
Merchant Ivory Production. Prop artist working under the direction ofLuciana
Arrighi.

1994 SCULPTOR - 'ROB ROY' - ON LOCATION IN SCOTLAND
United Artists. Set sculptor in polystyrene, set painting and dressing under the
direction of designer Ashton Gorton and senior sculptor Martin Smeaton.
1994 MEMBER OF PLASTER WORKSHOP TEAM FOR "BRAVEHEART" ON
LOCATION IN SCOTLAND

Community Based Arts Projects
1999 - ARTIST - COORDINATOR - LOCHABER CENTRE (A.T.C.)
Mural and varied media projects with mixed ability client group.
FORT WILLIAM R.C. PRIMARY-ARTIST CO-ORDINATOR FOR CHILDRENS MURAL POJECT
ARTIST WORKSHOPS - MALLAIG- FEIS NA MARA
1998 - MURAL ARTIST TO SIR CAMERON MACKINTOSH & MALLAIG HARBOUR AUTHORITY.
New pier smokehouse mural - design and execution.
ENVIRONMENTAL REGENERATION AWARD - DESIGNER Kilmallie Garden project.
ARTIST WORKSHOPS - MALLAIG - FEIS NA MARA.
1997- TUTOR; Youth Cafe, Fort William - Drawing and painting -teenage client group.
Lime Tree Gallery, Fort William - Figure drawing and painting.
Various - Private - Lochaber.
ARTIST CO-ORDINATORFOR HIGHLAND FESTIVAL, LOCHABER
1996 - ARTIST/TUTOR - HIGHLAND COUNCIL YOUTH CAFE MURAL PROJECT
Responsible for direction and production of mural by cafe clients and staff.
OPEN PRINT MAKING WORKSHOPS - FORT WILLIAM LIBRARY
Relief printing -introduction to techniques and practical applications.
HIGHLAND FESTIVAL CO-ORDINATOR
Various Lochaber client groups collaboration in banner project - silk screen & mixed media.
1995 - RESIDENT ARTIST, LOCHABER CENTRE
1 Day workshops building on clients growing awareness of visual abilities.
1993 - RESIDENT ARTIST, LOCHABER CENTRE
Working within an Adult Training Centre with mentally and physically impaired
clients. Using multi-media including; video, sculpture, installation and joint authorship work to stimulate social interaction and physical rehabilitation

Awards:
John Kinross scholarship - The Royal Scottish Academy
Collections:
The Royal Scottish Academy, Moscow-Caledonia Society (Moscow) ; Ross and
Cromarty District Council. Held in private collections throughout the U.K and
world wide.

Commissions:
UNION PICTURES-LONDON
Art tm. - INVERNESS
LOCHABER ENTERPRISE
LOCHABER FORESTRY COMMISSION
ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS
TAPPLE STIERRY THEATRE COMPANY - ABERDEEN