About Jim

I was born in Georgia. My dad was a career army officer. We moved around a lot. We lived in Athens, Greece, for four years. This had a large impact on my life. The rich history and wonderful combination of mountains and sea along with textural surfaces forged my beginnings as an artist. After high school, I attended the school of The Dayton Art Institute for three years. After three more years spent in the army, I finished my education obtaining a B.F.A. from Wright State University. My paintings continue to reflect my interest in color, texture and abstract shapes.

Jim's work has evolved over a thirty-five year period. His style is an all over canvas technique. It began with a grid motif, building up the canvas using a stick to load up the canvas with paint. String lays out the grid. The build-up of texture is with automobile paints and other mediums, finally removing the string to leave the grid pattern.

A new style uses an undercoat of one color of paint and then taping off the surface, adding more paint then removing the tape. The surface of this style is smooth and shinny. Spray paints and markers are also used with this painting style. Jim likes to use bright and bold colors.

Jim McCullough was born in Columbus, Georgia, and has lived in North Carolina and Greece while growing up. He resides in Beavercreek, Ohio, and New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Jim received a scholarship to the School of the Dayton Art Institute (1965-1969). After serving in the U.S. Army, Jim continued his education at Wright State University, majoring in painting and printmaking graduating with a B.F.A. in 1980.

McCullough has shown in:
-Sinop, Turkey
-The Miami Valley Arts Council Gallery, Dayton, OH
-The Whitewater Invitational, Richmond, IN
-Hibbits Gallery, Dayton, OH
-Dayton Visual Arts Center, Dayton, OH
-20 Year Retrospective, DVAC, Dayton, OH
-Miami Valley Cooperative Gallery, Dayton, OH
-Bears Mill Gallery, Greenville, OH
-Wright State University, Dayton, OH
-Springfield Art Museum, Members Show, Springfield, OH
-Springfield Art Museum, Egg Invitational, Springfield, OH
-The Art Show, Season 7, Episode 1, Studio Visit
-K12 Tejas Gallery, Dayton, OH
-Front Street Gallery, Dayton, OH

-WSU Alumni Gallery, Front Street Bldg, Dayton, OH

-Yellow Springs Brewery, Yellow Springs, OH

-Dayton Society of Artists, Dayton, OH (Best of Show Award)

-EDU Gallery, Dayton, OH

-Works on Paper 2022, Rosewood Arts Center, Kettering, OH

-Joy and Whimsy Depot, Lewisburg, OH

-Cover, Beavercreek Neighbors Magazine, July 2024 issue

McCullough's work is in corporate and private collections throughout the United States.