Jim Kingwell was born in Alameda California in 1950. Upon graduating from high school, Jim received a scholarship to the San Francisco Academy of Art.
1970s: Jim continued studying painting with workshops from various teachers around the country. 1978. living two years in New York City gave Jim the chance to study at the New York Art Students League of New York and paint with friends on the east coast such as Tom Nicolas and son TM Nicholas.Since 1979 Jim has taught painting workshops with the Yosemite National Park Art Center and continues to teach the workshop every summer.
1980-1990: Jim spent the years traveling and painting from southern Chile to Finland and Switzerland to Hawaii, exhibiting in Zermatt and Peulla.After moving to Maui in 1990, Jim married Kristen, opened his own gallery in 1994 in Lahainatown, and had two children.
2019: Jim won first place in the Yosemite renaissance’37 Art exhibition for his painting “ FIREFALL”.Since losing both gallery and studio in the Lahaina Fire of 2023, Jim has worked from his home studio in Lahaina. He currently exhibits at Makawao’s Viewpoints Gallery.
