James Coleman

James Coleman was born in Hollywood, California in 1949. He didn’t have to go far for his first job at Disney Studios, where his mother worked as a secretary. It was in the mailroom...but it was a paycheck, and eventually led him to meet the right people.

Coleman’s first big break at Disney came when he entered a painting in the Disney Studio Art Show. A top artist for Disney, Ken Anderson, saw Coleman’s potential and encouraged him to go into animation background painting. His first job was as a background painter on Disney’s “The Rescuers”.

This led to a career spanning almost three decades and over 25 films. His background images can be found in Winnie the Pooh, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid. But Coleman's true passion was always Fine Art, and in 1991, he left Disney in order to pursue that passion full time. He describes this life changing decision as a window that needed to be opened:

"Windows can be intimidating because you don't know what's out there. But once you step through it, you're faced with this enormous amount of possibility. I never liked looking at windows directly, because once I see one, I have to go through it."

James Coleman is a name synonymous with rich deep woods, tropical rainforests, and silent deserts. His wonderful sense of color and ability to translate emotion into images molded his professional career as a fine artist. The art created by this talented man continues to delight all who see it.
"I attempt to push the statement I am making to its ultimate, both in design and in use of color." - James Coleman.