About Jamie
His Background
Jamie Ray Adams is a Mesa, Arizona-based fine artist known for his original acrylic and oil paintings on canvas. His work is held in private collections throughout the United States and internationally. Distinguished by a whimsical, folk-inspired style, his figurative paintings often feature chefs and culinary themes infused with humor, warmth, and personality. In addition to painting, Adams creates expressive pen-and-ink and mixed-media illustrations.
His publication Live, Laugh, Love, an adult coloring book, is currently out of print.
Beyond the visual arts, Adams is also a semi-professional vocalist who has performed as a soloist in sacred and secular venues across the United States and Canada. Selections of his musical recordings are available on ReverbNation. https://www.reverbnation.com/jamierayadams
Professionally, Adams works in the field of Import/Export Compliance, a career that has afforded him the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the United States and internationally. These experiences continue to influence both his artistic perspective and creative voice.
Adams holds an MBA in International Business from Western International University in Phoenix, Arizona, and a BA in Art History from Arizona State University in Tempe.
He is married to his Canadian husband and is the proud parent of two college-aged children. As a queer artist, Adams is currently developing a new body of tasteful queer-themed works that further explore identity, humanity, connection, and expression through his distinctive visual style.
His artwork has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Arizona and Texas, including exhibitions at the former Sugar Land Art Center. Follow his social media channels for news about upcoming exhibitions and new works.
His Medium
Jamie creates illustrations and artworks in many mediums:
- Pen and ink
- Watercolor
- Acrylic
- Pencil/Charcoal
- Papier mache
However, he is predominantly an oil on canvas painter. Like his professor and artistic mentor, Bev Mciver, always says, "You gotta paint with the BUTTER!" http://beverlymciverart.com/
His Inspiration
The subject matter of Jamie's paintings (chefs) comes from his love of food and a long-time desire to be a pastry chef. However, the real source of inspiration for his painting style has its roots in stained glass windows. Jamie is obsessed with the bright colors and bold lines of glass adorning cathedrals and churches. He has also been heavily influenced by some of the following:
- Dutch Renaissance/Baroque painters (Pieter Breughel, Jan Van Eyck, Joos Van Cleve)
- German/Flemish painters (Hans Memling, Hans Holbein The Younger, Peter Paul Reubens, Jacob Jordaens)
- Italian painters (Fra Angelico, Giotto)
- Renaissance master Michelangelo
- Mexican Muralists (Rivera, Orozco, Siqueiros)
- American Folk Painters (Grandma Moses, Ammi Phillips)
- Expressionist/Fauvist French painter Georges-Henri Roualt
- American Muralist Thomas Hart Benton
- Latin American painter Fernando Botero
- Modern American painter Linda Carter Holman
These provide the inspiration for his distinct and colorful style.