James Fiorentino

jamesfiorentino.com

It is said that 10,000 hours of practice are needed to master one’s craft. James Fiorentino surely reached this milestone by age 15, when he was the youngest artist ever to have his work featured in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

His mother Jackie recognized and nurtured James’ precocious talent as a toddler. She enrolled him in private watercolor lessons at age eight. He went on to develop a signature brush technique and has been featured in museums, galleries and private collections across the globe. Initially recognized for his powerful portraits of sports figures, James painted important world leaders and an impressive array of celebrities before refocusing his attention on wildlife, which he started painting at 10 years old.

James’ early interest in the outdoors was piqued by fishing trips with his father, a biology teacher, and excursions to his uncle’s farm in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Now a resident of Hunterdon County, James draws inspiration from his own backyard. “I am awed by what we see here: the eastern box turtle (classified as vulnerable), great horned owl, pileated woodpeckers, foxes, hawks and butterflies. It’s an amazing backyard ecosystem.”

Fiorentino also draws inspiration from his work as a trustee with D&R Greenway and The Raptor Trust of Millington, New Jersey. The artist is a signature member of both Artists For Conservation (AFC) and Society of Animal Artists (SAA) having shown numerous paintings in their annual shows and being awarded medals of excellence. James is a member of the Society of Illustrators, Salmagundi Club and signature member of many watercolor societies around the country.

James joined the Board of Trustees of D&R Greenway in 2018. D&R Greenway celebrates 31 years of preservation by partnering with James on this exhibit of D&R Greenway preserved landscapes and wildlife found on our preserves.