Jim Schwartz
Sculptor/Painter

Jim moved to Tofino in 1976 looking to build his dream studio and live a life that was close to the ocean and the industries that thrived off of it.

Originally from California Jim came to Canada in 67 to study at the Montreal Museum School of fine art. There his attention was directed largely towards illustrating, painting, graphic design and layout. After a few years Jim came west, making it to Vancouver, then moving upcoast to Sechelt. There he experimented with subsistence living and commercial fishing. It was then that Jim began to carve local types of stone and was awarded with a Canada Council Bursary for this work. At the same time Jim started to dabble in precious metal work, silversmithing, lost wax casting and custom jewellry design. When Jim moved to Tofino his attentions turned to acquiring the necessary skills and experience of metallurgy, welding and structural design in order to create large metal sculpture. In 1987 he studied with Vancouver sculpture David Marshall at the Sculptors Institute of Capilano College. It was there that Jim learned ceramic shell bronze casting techniques. Through the 90’s Jim spent a lot of time in Pietrasanta, Italy studying marble carving and sculpture techniques. He worked under such artists as Cesare Riva and Pasquale Martini. Back in North America Jim traveled across much of the continent carving in New Mexico, Colorado and Washington State. Jim continues to create art and continues to live here in Tofino.

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Visit the Lounge Collection Art Gallery in Tofino to view Jim’s sculpture.