Jim is originally from Memphis, Tennessee. For the past 25 years he has been a resident of the beautiful East Tennessee mountain area, living in Johnson City When he's not hard at work Jim enjoys kayaking and mountain biking.

Jim began his career after earning a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from East Tennessee State University. Realizing that his life's work should be done in and through a hands on craft, fittingly, he discovered paperhanging to be a wonderful channel for his creativity. Late in his career he delved into the history of wallpaper and began to specialize in historic paperhanging techniques. Since that time he has been fortunate to have worked in some of the most important historic homes in America.

Jim is a member of the National Guild of Professional Paperhangers for whom he has written numerous articles and lectured at national conventions. Along with Bob Kelly and Barry Blanchard, Jim has been a WRNA associate since 1993. This involvement led to the installation of the Blue Room of the White House. Other historic houses in which Jim has collaborated with WRNA includes Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, Lanier, Lindenwald the Home of Martin Van Buren, Prestwould Plantation, Riversdale, St. Thomas Governor's Mansion and the Villa Louis.

Jim has participated in workshops at both the Phelps-Hathaway Historic House in Connecticut and the Interiors II Conference in Washington, DC For the 1993 Restoration Show in Boston, he submitted an article entitled "The Plaster/Paper Interface." In the April 1996 issue of "Southern Accents" Jim was the featured artisan. In February 2003 Jim was co-presenter along with Bruce Bradbury of Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpapers at the Arts and Crafts conference held at the Grove Park Inn In Asheville, NC and in September 2003 he and Mr Bradbury presented a three hour workshop at the Renovation & Restoration Convention in Chicago. The topic was "History and Installation of Victorian wallpapers." In July, 2004, Jim was co-insturctor along with Bob Kelly for a mural installation workshop in Orlando for the National Guild of Professional Paperhangers.