February James' portrait Shining on the Inside portrays the lush gardens that flourish in the depths of the sitter's mind. A young child gazes into the distance, raising a hand from which blooms flowers, as exotic flora curve around his waist. The organic forms in this painting all seem to gravitate toward the child, placing all narrative focus on him. Vivid blocks of pastel pink, sage green and turquoise envelop the background, while dappled light beams down upon the figure. The artwork resembles a daydream in its lucid examination of impossible beauty.
Having worked in the mediums of painting and drawing since childhood, as well as a stint as a celebrity makeup artist, it is only in the last decade that James began pursuing a professional career as a self-taught artist. Inspired by the oil pastel portraits of South African artist Marlene Dumas, the artist seeks to depict the emotional and psychological reality of individuals in her work by manifesting their inner worlds.i James states that “When I make work now, I’m conjuring up this emotional place. I am painting from my lived experiences. These are all aunts, uncles, and people that have been around me or informed my upbringing. I’m attempting to create a space that holds that emotional state.”ii
The clouds in the upper register, depicted in a manner reminiscent of childlike sketches, gives the impression of viewing the universe as a child might. James' art style, characterized by a faux-naif simplicity and vibrant hues, evokes the Fauvists' skillful manipulation of color and the naïve aesthetics of artistic predecessors such as Henri Rousseau, Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc. James’ use of various materials creates a multi-textured canvas that heightens the tangibility of the scene. The thin beam of light splits the composition, resembling a fissure running through the artwork, seemingly opening the pictorial plane to the viewer.
In James’ hometown of DC, the artist has been featured in several exhibitions over the past few years, one such show being the Rubell Museum’s inaugural group exhibition What’s Going On which was on display through October 2023. More recently is Homecoming (I’m Coming Home), a solo exhibition of the artist exploring topics such as authenticity, façade, and personal identity, which opened on February 10th, 2024, at the CulturalDC Mobile Art Gallery at Randall Recreation Center. Both exhibitions are a testament to the artist’s dazzling rise in the contemporary art world.
