We caught up with the brilliant and insightful James Oliver a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

James, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

It is important to know that when you’ve made a decision to pursue the creative path that you are full in to put in the work. i knew that in my case as a 22 year old, fresh out of college. I knew at this point if I would take the easier path of having a day job that it would zap my energy and psyche. I wanted to be a singer/songwriter at the time, thus knew the day job would be a job that gave me flexibility with my time to devote more and more to the process of being a great songwriter-with time, i achieved some success that ultimately led me to co-found a music festival in Austin, TX. After running the festival for a year, i was appointed to the Arts Commission of Austin for which I served and helped change the guidelines to improve equitable funding.
I later took a big risk and moved to NYC to make progress in my path for further success in music. i did achieve more on that end there, while on the side, I stared painting.
I then moved to Philadelphia for an opportunity to open a recording studio with an old friend I knew from my Austin days. We were partners in this venture for a number of years, where i was able to record a couple of my records, receiving great exposure and critical acclaim.
After awhile, i started painting again and made a deep dive into it, while getting “burnt out” on the music business. I knew at the time that this was a big risk, professionally. I have not looked back since then.

James, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

James Oliver Gallery is known for being a welcoming space where all feel at ease.

We show mid career and emerging artists that vibe with our particular aesthetic. We are known for color and a bit of humor, both abstract and hyper real.

At times there is a narrative bent, and music plays in to the aesthetic as I have been a performing musician for decades.

We are delighted to introduce those unfamiliar with the landscape of contemporary art to our particular brand of curation. We are very fortunate to have a large pool of great visual artists to choose from here in Philadelphia. We complement the artist pool with like minded artist from the national and international scenes.

We are known at JOG also for being very community oriented and inclusive. James Oliver Gallery is one of the first galleries in Philadelphia to show a large percentage of female artists, from our inception 17 years ago.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For myself, the first rewarding aspect of creating a new painting is the initial drawing on canvas itself. From there, I enjoy selecting colors of my own for a particular image. I also at times love the challenge of replicating colors from an image that I am working with.

Midway through the painting, I like to step back and evaluate where I am at that moment of the piece. When I think I am finished with a piece, I like the emotional sense of fulfillment.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

As both an artist and a Gallery owner, I feel obligated to put my very best foot forward visually, aesthetically and from a design perspective. I strive to create an environment where this all comes into play- from the art on the walls, including my own and leaving breathing space between pieces of art exhibited. I feel one must really know the whole dimensions of a space as a “canvas”.

I like to complement the Gallery environment by selecting furniture and certain personal objects that I often customize and know would work within the Gallery space. I know that this approach is different from most galleries and I believe this sets us apart from other galleries. The idiosyncratic design aesthetic has proven to be a particular delight for our audiences.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jamesolivergallery.com
• Instagram: @jamesolivergallery