Art and creativity has always been a part of James Picard's life. He is keenly aware that every minute counts and works constantly whether that be painting, drawing, writing or filmmaking.
In a documentary film about the artist, Picard describes how, as a young boy, he often had to hide his compulsion for creating, as his abusive alcoholic father would forbid his passion for creativity and destroy the young artists’ work by setting it on fire and making his son watch his work burn. Despite that fact, he knew from a young age that creativity would be his path. At the age of eighteen, his tenacity and talents drew him to prestigious art schools such as Sheridan College and the Ontario College of Art where he began formal studies to develop his raw artistic talent.
Eager to continue further artistic development after art school, he began to associate and apprentice with well- known artists and learned how to convey his creativity, messages and visions into a variety of art forms.
Picard has exhibited extensively in close to 200 art exhibitions throughout North America and Europe. He had the rare privilege of painting live with the renowned Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
James Picard has also taught art at several renowned art universities and has released three books on his art. He was the first artist to exhibit his paintings at the historical Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco, part of his “The Dark & The Wounded” painting series and world art tour which he filmed and turned into a documentary which won awards across the North American Film Festival circuit in 2017/18 culminating in a screening in May 2018 at the 71stCannes International Film Festival in France.
He has received many awards and accolades for his work and for his contributions to communities and charities throughout North America. He has been commended for his work with both hospitalized and inner city kids across North America and for starting up the first sculpture class in the province of British Columbia for visually impaired students.
Picard is an artist with a big heart whose passion enriches our world. He currently lives in California.