Background
Jim was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri. He picked up a paintbrush for the first time in September 2017 after his daughter won an oil-paint set at a local art store. Much like listening to a great piece of music, the experience of putting oil paint on canvas has been transcendent for Jim. He now directs most of his creative energy into large-scale oil portraiture.
A graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Jim began his career in New York City, working in advertising and later at Atlantic Records. He is now a partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP in Kansas City. Jim is married with two children, serves on the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art Board of Trustees, and actively supports the LGBTQ+ community through pro bono legal work.
Exhibitions
Group:
Confronted With the Gaze of Another
Kansas City Artist Coalition, Kansas City, MO.
August 1, 2025 - August 29, 2025
Realist Art Club Exhibition
Juried exhibition
Images Art Gallery, Overland Park, KS
March 19, 2025 - April 13, 2025
51st Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
January 18, 2025 - February 23, 2025
49th Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
January 13, 2023 - February 4, 2023
48th Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
January 14, 2022 - February 12, 2022
47th Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
January 14, 2021 - February 18, 2021
ART IN THE TIME OF CORONA
Volume 2 / 2021
The Dab Art Co. Galleries and Online Exhibits
The 3 year-long comprehensive project includes an online exhibition, a full-color publication of all selected works, a multi-gallery international exhibition, and a follow-up documentary film to our original project documentary.
46th Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
January 11, 2020 - February 23, 2020
Look Me in the Eye: Portraits of Kansas City
Juried exhibition co-curated by Elisabeth Kirsch and Mike Lyon
The Epsten Gallery, Leawood, KS
September 15, 2019 - November 29, 2019
45th Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
December 1, 2018 - January 15, 2019
44th Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
December 8, 2017 - January 15, 2018
Solo:
Select Works 2019-2021
Town Pavillion Gallery
1110 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO
November 4, 2021 - January 31, 2022
Select Works
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Art Space, Kansas City, MO
July 1, 2019 - November 30, 2019
Awards
51st Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
"Scarlette" 1st Place, Painting: oil/acrylic
"Paige" 2nd Place, Painting: oil/acrylic
49th Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
"Charlotte" Best in Show & 1st Place, Painting: oil/acrylic
"Merle" 2nd Place, Painting: oil/acrylic
48th Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
"Self Portrait (2021)" 1st Place, Painting: oil/acrylic
47th Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
"Self Portrait (2020)" 1st Place, Painting: oil/acrylic
"Hew Locke" 2nd Place, Painting; oil/acrylic
46th Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
"Witness" 3rd Place, Painting: oil/acrylic
45th Annual AKMA Membership Exhibition
Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO.
"The Present is Female" 3rd Place, Painting: oil/acrylic
Press
KC Studio: 10/15/19
http://kcstudio.org/look-me-in-the-eye-portraits-of-kansas-city-epsten-gallery/
