Born:   1963, Claremont, California

 

Education:  Bachelors of Fine Art, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1987

 

Public Sculpture:

             2010  Government Building, Beverly Hills, California

             2010  Los Altos Plaza, Mission Viejo, California

             2007  Mission Hospital, Mission Viejo, California

             2006  Western University, Pomona, California

             2003  Borgota Hotel, Atlantic City, NJ

             2003  Campbell Hall School, North Hollywood, California

                     2003  Industrial Metal Supply, Sun Valley, California

             1999  City of Santa Ana, First & Main St., Downtown, California

 

Selected Group Exhibitions:

            2010   Howard Schepp Gallery, Palm Desert, California

            2009   El Paseo Invitational Sculpture Exhibition, Palm Desert, California

            2009   I-5 Gallery, Los Angeles,  California

            2008   I-5 Gallery, Los Angeles, California

            2007   I-5 Gallery, Los Angeles, California

         2007   Art International, Santa Monica, California

         2007   The Brewery Projects, Los Angeles, California

            2006  GalleryC, Hermosa Beach, California

            2006   I-5 Gallery, Los Angeles, California

2005    GalleryC, Hermosa Beach, California

2005    I-5 Gallery, Los Angeles, California

2005    18^th Street Arts Center, Santa Monica, California

2005  Art Murmer Gallery, Los Angeles, California

2005  Studio Channel Islands, Camarillo, California

2004  Los Angeles Art Show,  Santa Monica, California

2003  Gallery C Inaugural Exhibition, Hermosa Beach, California

       2002  I-5 Gallery, Los Angeles, California

       2001 Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Bergamont Station, Santa Monica, California

2001 Big  Sculpture Outdoor Exhibition, Palos Verdes Art Center, Palos Verdes,    

         2001 through 09 Venice Artwalk Auction, Venice, California

       2001 I-Zone Gallery, Woodland Hills, California

1999  BGH Gallery, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California

1999  I-Five Gallery, Los Angeles, California

1998  I-Five Gallery, Los Angeles, California

1997  Artrium Gallery, Los Angles, California

          1996  ‘97 Spanish Kitchen Gallery, Los Angeles, California

1996  Rainforest Action Network, Los Angeles, Art Action Auction, California

        1996  ‘97 ‘DADA, Downtown Lives, Los Angeles, California

 

1996  ‘97 ’98 Artcore Annex, Los Angeles, California

         1994  Mace Gallery, San Francisco, California

          1994  SOMAR Gallery, San Francisco, California

1993  Mace Gallery, San Francisco, California

1993  SOMAR Gallery, San Francisco, California

1992  Stars Exhibition, Santa Cruz Art Museum, Santa Cruz, California

1990  Art Source Gallery, Santa Cruz, California

1989  San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Rental Gallery, San Francisco, Ca

1987  Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery, Santa Cruz California

1986    J.B. Hall Gallery, Santa Cruz, California

 

Selected Solo Exhibitions:

 

            2007  GalleryC, Hermosa Beach, California

2001  The Advocate Gallery, Los Angeles, California

1999  Angels Gate Cultural Center, San Pedro, California

1998  Angels Ink Gallery, Los Angeles, California

          1996  to 2007 Brewery Open Studios, Los Angeles,

1994  Art Center, Santa Cruz,  California

1988  Chameleon Gallery, Santa Cruz, California

1988  India Joze Gallery, Santa Cruz, California

         1987  J.B. Hall Gallery, Santa Cruz, California

 

Publications:

 

            2011   Forbeslife Magazine

            2010   Beverly Hills Courier

            2009   Marine Scope News, Marine California

            2008   Downtown LA life Magazine

            2008   Los Angeles Times

            2007   Mungbeing Magazine, California

            2006  Orange County Register, California

2004  American Style magazine

2004  California Homes, Los Angeles

2001  Discovery Channel, Lynette Jennings Design

2001  Downtown News, Los Angeles

1999  Orange County Register, California

1999     Pasadena Weekly, Pasadena, California

1998  Sunset Magazine, Southern California Edition

 

Awards:

1986    First Prize, Spring Art Exhibition, J.B. Hall Gallery, Santa Cruz, Ca.

 

Teaching:  University of California, Irvine, Spring 2001

 

 

Artist Statement:

 

“A metal sculptor struggles for extraordinary precision and economy to reveal the fragile beauty of human life in an unyielding material world”

--James Hill, 2004

 

I strive to reveal the essence of the figure and relationship between forms to convey universal emotions with which we can all identify. Steel, stainless steel and bronze are enduring, elemental materials in which to host these forms and relationships. In the process of uniting forms, I also consider the dynamic presence of the negative space arising between each individual form as a central component of each composition. I love the raw color and feel of metal.  The surface quality, richness, and texture is specific and generated through the incorporation of chemical patinas, oxidizers, and grinding tools.

 

Engaging with a material that is by nature cold, rigid and inflexible challenges my creativity and expands my understanding of the world.  Through a process of cutting, forming, and welding, steel as a metaphor vividly expresses the human condition; we are challenged to be both flexible and durable, beautiful and formidable. The amazing possibilities and stubborn resistance of metal illustrate the paradoxical nature of steel and make it the most expressive material for me as an artist.

 

Biography:

 

California native James Hill earned his degree in Fine Art from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1987.  For over 20 years James Hill has masterfully fashioned and fused metal, steel and bronze in service to his artistic vision, transforming the coolness of these materials into “living” dynamic forms. His sculptures have been described as “a celebration of optimism that unite the elegance of the organic form with the structure of the modern world.”

 

In addition to many private collections, James Hill’s sculptures can be seen throughout Southern California as commissioned art installations including those by The Western University in Pomona, The Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department and Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo to name a few.

 

Hill’s career has been documented in many publications including the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register, American Style Magazine and on the Discovery Channel. His bustling studio near downtown Los Angeles is both a buzzing hive of creative energy and his business center, where he often consults with art collectors, consultants and dealers.