I am Mikal James, an iron & digital artist creating in Lake Oswego, OR. My incredible wife and 2 amazing children give me the daily strength I need! My love for abstract artwork has been with me for as long as I can remember. The organized chaos is calming for me. Growing up around classic cars, I had an early affinity for the beauty in 50’s & 60’s european car design and their simplicity of function. In my early twenties I discovered the ability to work with Iron and I have been creating iron art as a hobby for 30 years. I have had the fortune & opportunity to design & build a concept show vehicle for Ford Motor Company which displayed on stage at the 2004 SEMA show. In recent months I have changed gears and given more focus and attention to my iron art. During this journey I discovered the world of digital art and one night created my first piece using procreate on my daughters ipad. At that moment I decided to challenge myself to make one piece daily for a year. My digital pieces are a true representation of myself & the thoughts/emotions I had at the time they were created. Some are harsh, others have a softer feel, some of them feel rushed while others appear more relaxed. Personally, I strive to make pieces that grab your attention and ideally create a visual impact with a strong positive signal. Should my artwork generate an emotion or create a personal connection for someone then I believe I have succeeded. I title my digital art with Braille as a reminder of the fortune we possess with the gift of vision & the ability to enjoy all the World has to see! Thank you! MJ

Statement
I truly believe there is art in everything! My love comes from creating something from nothing! I have such an appreciation for simplicity, beautiful things & the amazing people that create them. We are all blessed with certain talents but unfortunately all too often we second guess our strengths & wonder “Are we truly good enough!?”