Life & Work with James Sanders of San Tan Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to James Sanders

Hi James, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey into my artistry has been an interesting one. I enjoyed drawing and viewing art as a child. I would draw and recreate images of my favorite characters, and show them to my family. One day, I saw a commercial for an “art school”, and my mom ordered their pamphlet for me to complete and send back. I sent it back with excitement, and anxiously awaited their response. Within a few weeks, I received a response stating that they thanked me for my submission, but did not feel that I had what it took to be an artist. As a child with a dream of being an artist, I was absolutely crushed. I put everything down, and refused to pick it back up.

Throughout my life, I would doodle at times, and others would catch a glimpse and compliment. However, whenever someone would suggest that I submit into competitions, or other events, I would always say no because that seed had been planted in me as a child. I went through my earliest collegiate years having the most academic success only when it involved artistic courses, but I still denied myself any opportunities as an artist. I instead entered a career in retail business.

After more than two decades, I finally decided to pick up my pencils and paint brushes again, and now art and creativity is my full time career. Because of this, I always encourage and speak to others about the importance of following their passions, and never being deterred from what they feel most compelled to do. I spend as much time as necessary speaking life into other’s creative dreams as I do speaking into my own, and I love every single moment of it.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This has not been a smooth road, but I know that anything worth having is truly worth working for. I have been blessed to be able to take my life and work experiences with business and relationship building, and applying that into the building of my own personal brand as an artist. From struggling with a lack of self-confidence in my own art, to learning to navigate the modern social media landscape, to finding and establishing connections with those within the art industry, this process has definitely been challenging. However, I know that I have a calling and a gift that is meant to be shared with the world, and regardless of any and all challenges, I will continue to pursue these passions.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a professional artist. I work in mixed media, including abstract art with acrylic paint, resin, gems, and other embellishments. However, I specialize in realism using graphite and charcoal on paper. I believe what sets me apart from other artists is how I approach the challenges in my creative process. For example, it’s very common in many areas (not just artistry) for people to shy away from those things that are most challenging to do. I choose to take whatever I can’t do, and make it the thing that I work and focus on the most. For example, if one were to observe a number of my art pieces, there is a notable prevalence of hands with high detail. As many in the art community will agree, hands are one of the most challenging things to draw and paint accurately. Therefore, I have taken a keen interest in drawing hands at nearly every turn. I love to capture the many intricacies and details in individual hands, and include those in my art pieces.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The best way for people to support, collaborate, and contact me is through my website, www.JamesTheArtist.com, or through my various social media channels under the same handle, JamesSandersFineArt.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jamestheartist.com
• Instagram: @JamesSandersFineArt
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamesscreates
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@createdbyjames
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jamessandersfineart