James
Bama was born in 1926 and grew up in the Northeast. He followed
his early interest in art through New York's specialized High School
of Music and Art and the Art Students League. As a professional,
Bama has earned a reputation for several facets of his talent. He
freelanced briefly before spending fifteen years at the respected
Charles E. Cooper Studios-at the time, the country's top firm of
illustrators-and more freelancing followed. Bama's activities during
this period were highlighted by artwork for the New York Giants
football team, the Baseball and Football Halls of Fame, the U.S.
Air Force and The Saturday Evening Post. Fans of pop culture may
know him best as the artist who portrayed Doc Savage on sixty-two
memorable book covers. Then Bama decided it was finally time to
do what he most wanted to do. 
He
moved west to Wyoming, where an artist "can trace the beginnings
of Western history; see the oldest weapons, saddles and guns and
be close to Indian culture." He sold his first Western fine art
painting soon after the move. The distinctive work of James Bama
combines tradition with modern realities. In his much-acclaimed
studies, Bama shows the contemporary West preserving its traditional
culture. His portraits of inhabitants of the plains and mountains
capture the true character of the West. Today the paintings of James
Bama are part of many prestigious collections. Bama has been represented
in major exhibitions throughout the West and has been presented
in one-man shows in New York City. Bantam Books published The Western
Art of James Bama in 1975 and The Art of James Bama in 1993. Jim
was inducted into the Illustrator's Hall of Fame June 28, 2000.
Through his portraits of real people of the new West re-creating
their history and heritage, Bama pays homage to the Old West and
is renowned in yet another realm of the art world.
