Photo courtesy of SCAD
Today we’d like to introduce you to James Keul.
Hi James, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Art has always been my true north. I had a pretty unconventional upbringing—constantly flying back and forth between parents and coasts—and through all of it, creativity stayed with me. My mom, who grew up in England, passed on a love of painting, gardening, and music that she shared with her own father. That early exposure stuck. I started painting in watercolor as a kid, and took my first oil painting class at 14 at the Durham Arts Council, while living with my dad for the summer.
While I don’t think I ever truly considered another path, things really shifted when I was 16. After a turbulent period in my life, I was sent to a therapeutic boarding school in Samoa. It was intense—but also transformative. It gave me values that still guide my work today: patience, perseverance, and humility.
After returning to the U.S., I finished high school in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. That’s where I met a local artist who became a mentor—he used to take me out painting landscapes, even in the middle of winter. He was the one who really encouraged me to pursue art seriously.
From there, I went on to earn my BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design, graduating with honors, and later studied at the Art Students League of New York. I also worked as a studio assistant for several NYC artists, which gave me hands-on experience that really pushed my practice forward.
I moved back to Durham in 2014, and a year later my son, Ethan, was born—that was the start of a whole new chapter. All of those life experiences, the good and the hard, have shaped who I am as both an artist and a human being.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all. After my parents divorced, I lived with my mom and sister in Albany, California, and I went through a really rough period. I made a lot of self-destructive choices and ended up being taken—literally in the middle of the night—by teen transport specialists to a program in what was then Western Samoa.
It’s something I’m still unpacking (and actually working on a graphic novel about), but looking back, I believe that experience saved my life. It gave me a deep sense of resilience, which has helped me weather a lot, including the challenges of pursuing a creative career. After going through that, I didn’t find the uncertainty of being an artist intimidating—I felt ready for it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work is rooted in the natural world. I focus on landscapes, climate, and environmental themes, creating large-scale oil paintings and life-sized figurative works. I’m also active in the plein air painting circuit and work in both oil and watercolor. Printmaking—especially monotypes—is another medium I enjoy using to explore new ideas.
Over the years, I’ve also completed several mural commissions around Durham and the San Francisco Bay Area. I’m proud to be represented by Craven Allen Gallery here in Durham, and I’ve shown my work nationally at places like the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, CAM Raleigh, GreenHill Center for NC Art, and Waterworks Visual Arts Center.
Internationally, my paintings have been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Tokyo, the Bekjarvik Arts Council in Norway, the Tiapapata Arts Centre in Samoa, and the Museo Augusto Murer in Italy.
One piece I’m especially proud of is Fish in Troubled Waters, a climate painting that was included in the 5th National Climate Assessment and the 2024 Climate Literacy Guide. And right now, I’m spending ten weeks in Lacoste, France, serving as an Alumni Atelier Ambassador for SCAD.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
One of the most meaningful parts of my journey has been teaching. All of my mentors emphasized the importance of passing on artistic knowledge, and that stuck with me. I’ve found that you learn just as much by teaching as you do by practicing—and it’s incredibly rewarding to help students grow.
I teach painting at the Durham Arts Council, offer private classes at my studio, and lead plein air workshops around the country—including at the Art Students League of New York, Orange County Arts Commission, and the Duke Gardens. Sharing this passion and helping others develop their artistic voice has become an essential part of what I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jameskeul.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jkeul
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-keul-68bb8b173
Photo courtesy of C. Bay Milin
