Jim Burns began sketching as a child with charcoal pencils. In his early twenties, he painted California landscapes in oil. Since ending his career as an electronics executive in 2001, Jim has taken up painting familiar California scenes in the plein air style. In addition to painting in oil, Jim became attracted to pastels for their vibrancy of color and great flexibility in painting.

Jim has always been a person who enjoys the beauty of nature and outdoor activities. As a contemporary realist painter, he gathers inspiration from the beauty of the land and sea around him, capturing the atmosphere of light cast upon the landscape. To improve his art skills and range of painting, he has been enrolled in the BA Fine Arts program at San Jose State University for several years. Jim lives in Los Altos, California and paints a wide array of subjects that strike his imagination and captivate his viewers.