Jim Laurier

Jim Laurier biography
Artist Jim Laurier is a native of New England, growing up in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He has been drawing since he could hold a pencil and throughout his life he has worked in many mediums creating work on a variety of subjects over the years. He attended Paier School of Art in Hamden, Connecticut from 1974-1978 and was on the Dean's List all four years. He has been working professionally in the field of Fine Art and Illustration since graduating with honors from that school.

Jim prefers to work in oils on linen or canvas, with realism in his paintings being the goal. A long time aviation enthusiast and pilot, one of his favorite subjects is aircraft. He has flown a variety of fixed wing and rotor aircraft, including piston powered and jet powered fighter aircraft. His experience flying different types of aircraft is extremely rare amongst aviation artists and has given him a unique ability to create some of the most realistic and historically accurate aviation paintings seen today.

Another one of Jim's skills is the ability to paint people, and he often adds historical or fictional figures in his work. Jim's unique skill at combining technical accuracy, attention to detail, people, and historical relevance have placed him firmly near the top of aviation art world.

Jim's paintings have received major awards from numerous juried art shows and organizations and his work can be found in museums, air Bases, and government buildings around the world, including the Pentagon, The Naval Air Museum, The Marine Historical Museum, and the Air Force Academy. Jim is a Fellow member of the American Society of Aviation Artists (ASAA) and the Air Force Art program.

In 2006, he was the only U. S. artist selected by Lockheed Martin Corp. to depict in an oil painting their new JSF F-35 Lightning II fighter jet. This was part of Lockheed's world-wide promotional campaign and Jim was a guest of Lockheed Martin at the 2006 Paris Air Show.

In 2008, Jim was selected from a list of 25 top artists from around the world, including Australia, South Africa, the UK and the United States, to complete a special painting commissioned by a private client. The finished piece will reside in a British Museum.

"It remains to be seen what changes will occur in the aviation art market with the passing of all our great pilots from the wars. For me personally, the goal won't change.

It has always been a primary concern for me to create good paintings that stand on their own with or without the signatures of famous aces. Selling art prints is secondary. Someday, we too will be gone and the importance of the paintings we military artists leave behind will be measured by their validity as historical documents of human courage and sacrifice. These are things for future generations to ponder.

As I move into the future, I will continue to paint and illustrate military subjects, especially aircraft. I will also explore other themes as I strive grow and excel as an artist. A worthwhile challenge for every person is to continually pursue improvement in themselves and their work and to always seek new knowledge towards that end".

Jim Laurier, 2008