Creating for me comes from the core of my existence. As a young child I had an innate knowing that creating art would forever be a part of me. One of my first childhood memories was learning how to create shape and form with a pencil with my dad. Pencils and taking in my surroundings and the feelings captivated me. Every day I had a pencil in my hand.

It wasn’t until the age of 10 did I discover color or had a want to play with color. Paint was introduced but my understanding of how color was created didn’t really click until I was taught by my first painting mentor. I met David Kinker along Oregon’s famed Deschutes river. Here Kinker taught me how to observe the natural world through the painter’s eye. His lessons on the river’s banks painting in plein air started my true understanding of color and the importance of painting outside over a reference indoors. It was there in that first lesson the fire of pursuing the arts professionally was lit.

Years later I would find myself painting outside every moment I had in between guiding whitewater and fly fishing trips throughout Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, and Alaska. Any money made guiding was immediately transferred to paint, surface, and travel. Winters were spent on the road in search of places the masters translated throughout history and a search of the untouched in hopes of finding my own true spirit. The Southwest almost always would pull at my heart and certainly any river along the way. The imprint of those who first called the Southwest home along with my upbringing in Montana influenced my pallet with brilliant pigment and spiritual connection.

Over time the state of flow seemed obtainable. But not until I stopped hearing the voices of the influences of my teachers Thomas Kitts, Yer Za Vue, Paul Zegers, and many others I look up to, did I gain the confidence in what I wanted to say. This led to the next career step of competing around the country at plein air paint-outs. I have been awarded at: Easton, Pacific Northwest Plein Air, Roundtop Texas, Umpqua Valley Plein Air, Two River Plein Air Texas, Southwest Plein Air Texas, Las Gatos California, Coast Plein Air Paint & Wine Festival, and Estes Valley Plein Air Colorado.

Today living on the Southern Oregon Coast I begin the quest to translate the sea and her salty inhabitants. Every place brings new challenges. Every day brings new challenges. Life challenges. It’s my duty to honor and interpret life in paint.

James Sampsel is an oil painter based in Port Orford Oregon where he and his wife Kait own and operate Humble Heron Fly Fishing ( Guiding steelhead and salmon trips on Southern Oregon’s premiere rivers) and The Humble Heron Studio & Gallery in downtown Port Orford.