He earned a BFA from the University of Colorado at Boulder and MFA from Columbia University in New York City where he was awarded the Andrew Fisher and Leroy Neiman Fellowships. Upon completion of his graduate studies, James was selected by Professor Rirkrit Tiravanija to participate in Tropical Lab 6 Singapore, an international artist laboratory and exhibition exploring current issues impacting (LAND), such as agricultural displacement and reclamation. Based within the energetic Saint Marks Place in New York City and maintaining multiple studios throughout the United States, James is currently in final stages of developing an "architectural graffitti" drawing technique with GPS Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAV's), mirrors, and cameras.