Warren, Jim

Born: Nov 24, 1949 in Long Beach, CA to Don and Betty Warren. Jim’s brother Rick was 2 and his sister Kathy was 5.

Beginnings: Started painting at age 2, like all children. Went through the usual string of career choices such as: artist, magician, artist, rock star, artist etc. I officially decided in high school in 1967 that an artist, a “Rich and Famous” one at that, was what I was going to be!

Tools: Traditional oil paint on stretched canvas which I coat with a gesso primer. Only paintbrushes are used to paint with and NO airbrush, as people have sometimes thought.

Art Training: “I’m basically self taught. I learned some basics in my high school art class. At college I attended several life-drawing classes, and always studied the great masters at museums.”

Philosophy of Art: “To hell with the rules…paint what you like.”

Some of Jim’s Accomplishments:
1978 – Commissioned by jazz greats Billy Cobham and George Duke to paint first album cover.

1981 – Grammy Award winner for best album package, won for Bob Seger’s No. 1 album “Against the Wind.”

1985 – Began “Illustration” faze painting over 200 hundred book covers for such authors as Arthur C. Clarke, Robin Cook and Clive Barker. Album covers for Prince, Alice Cooper etc and movie posters for Phantasm, Night of the Living Dead (the remake) Waxworks etc. Also numerous magazine covers such as Twilight Zone and Heavy Metal Magazine.

1990 – Painted “Earth…Love It or Lose It.” This painting received critical acclaim, was featured on posters, magazines, billboards, t-shirts ect. and soon became the visual representation for the global environmental movement.

1996 – Started portraits which Jim called “Personalized Paintings” for such people as Julliette Lewis (Vacation, Cape fear) Marine life artist Wyland and Michael Parnell (CEO of Oakley sunglasses)

2004 – The Warren/ Disney collaboration paintings are released as fine art prints. With Disney being one of the earliest inspirations for Jim as a child, the was a very special project. Although Jim painting the Disney characters himself into the paintings, he was art directed by animators who have worked with Disney for over 20 years.