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Article By: Amelia “Killer” Rose
Originally Published In The August 2018 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine
Sometimes the only support you need in your life is from your mom. I know mine is a big source of support for all of my theatrical endeavors and I am thankful every day for her. For Jim Myers, his mother was just as influential. Since the ripe old age of two, Jim has been making art, driven by nothing more than an overwhelming urge to create. When he was only eight years old, he saw his first David Mann poster, and from then on, he was hooked! By the time he was old enough and started painting, around 14, he had already decided the path he wanted to take. Looking at David Mann’s paintings, he could see the freedom and life that each one held and from then on worked to achieve that same feeling in his own work. Throughout high school, Jim thrived in his art classes, being driven primarily by not being able to afford posters for his room. Unfortunately, his grades didn’t reflect this, as much like myself now in college, Jim had a hard time producing and submitting his work on a deadline. In later years, the motivation to create came from wanting to keep out of trouble, and out of boredom. These days, Jim finds his motivation in making others happy with the work he creates. In 2008 Jim decided to pursue a full-time career in art, eventually opening his own gallery. Unfortunately for the fate of the gallery, the town he had opened it in wasn’t exactly an art haven, and it closed after only a few years.
As for his love of motorcycles, what really drew him into this crazy, creative culture, Jim has been riding for about as long as he’s been painting! When he was younger, his mom was friends with people who rode so it was something he was always familiar with growing up. Around the time he started painting is when Jim began riding and made some moto-friends for himself, finding himself being drawn to the freedom and opportunities that motorcycles held for him. The people he surrounded himself with taught him plenty of valuable life lessons while also teaching him the ways of the road, which can kind of be the same thing if you think about it. What visually sets Jim apart from other artists in our industry is his intense love and need for realism. When starting a new piece, his goal is to bring in as much detail and accuracy as possible, with every piece being better than the last. His favoring of acrylic paints in his work gives him just that. It’s also a favorite of his because he doesn’t exactly have the patience for a slow-drying medium like oil paints and the fast-drying medium pushes him to work faster to achieve greater work. Over the years and through his artwork, Jim has been able to do things he had only dreamed of as a child.
Back in 1998 he actually had the opportunity to meet David Mann in Sturgis. He had been carrying his sketchbook around, and David asked if he could take a look at what he was working on. Since then, Jim has painted live at Las Vegas BikeFest 2014, and in 2015 he was invited to and attended Chopperfest out in California. Jim has also had the pleasure of meeting a few of his fellow moto-artists, such as Scott Jacobs and Motor Marc (who was recently featured in the magazine by yours truly!) And of course it wouldn’t be awful to one day be seen as one of the big names in the moto-art industry like David Mann, David Uhl, Scott Jacobs, etc,. Today, Jim spends his time painting and taking commissions at home with his lovely wife, who is one of the most supportive people in his life today. He is also an on-the-side goat farmer, thanks to his wife! To check out more of this amazing artwork and show some love, you can head to Facebook (Jim Myers), his website http://yamachop73.wix.com/ jim-myers_biker_artist, And for prints, you can go to https://fineartamerica. com/profiles/1-jim-myers.html
