Jim is a furniture maker whose works have been shown extensively at venues including the Detroit Institute of Arts, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Auckland Memorial Museum, University of Iowa Museum of Art, University of Oregon Museum of Art, State Museum of Pennsylvania, North Carolina Museum of History, and National Ornamental Metals Museum.

Non-profit leadership roles included serving as President of the College Art Association, President of the National Council of Arts Administrators, and as a Director for the Michigan Youth Arts Festival.

Academic appointments included serving as Head of the Studio Art Program at Penn State, Chairperson of the Department of Art, Art History, & Design at Michigan State University, and Senior Associate Dean in the College of Fine Arts at Western Michigan University. He also held appointments at the Massachusetts College of Art, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, Skidmore College, University of Michigan, and North Carolina State University.

Jim maintains a studio in Traverse City, MI and continues active service as a site visitor, program consultant, and training workshop leader for the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

He earned a MFA degree from University of Michigan, a MA degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a BA degree from Michigan State University, and retired as a Professor Emeritus of Art.