I’m going to tell you about myself, but I’d much rather talk about the interplay between creativity, culture, and spirituality. Because that's my passion. That's the focus of my learning, my teaching, my work, and my favorite conversations.
I'm a spiritual director. I mentor and coach and encourage and embolden. I help people discover and cultivate their gifts for the good of others, and to be attentive to God.
I'm a creative catalyst. I build and lead creative teams. One of my great joys is meeting artists who have taken off their dance shoes, put down their brushes, or sold their camera—and speaking life back into their passion and dreams.
I am a wonderer. I seek out beauty and grace wherever I am. I create environments and structures that inspire and enable others to thrive and do their best work. I see what could be and work to make it so.
My wife and I have five adult children, five perfect grandchildren, an empty nest in Saint Louis, and a 40-year relationship with France. During our 13 years in Paris, I founded La Fonderie, an arts community. I also opened a gallery around the corner from the Musée d'Orsay. Great things happen there every month. If you're in the neighborhood, you should stop by.
That's enough from me.
Here's what some friends had to say.
“When he arrived in Paris, Jim instantly connected with the city and was deeply moved by the artistic community. With passion and courage, he pioneered La Fonderie, a community where artists find encouragement, training, and a sense of belonging to this day. Through Jim’s initiatives, a broader network developed, and many artistic projects emerged. He opened an art gallery in the heart of the city, next to Musée Orsay and in front of the Louvre museum. Through the years, neighbors have agreed that Le Pavé d’Orsay is the most vibrant space in their art district. This is an incredible legacy and victory in a city where the streets are already filled with art and the audience is saturated with events and openings. He gave us a great example of what can be achieved when we value relationships and community. For me, Jim will always belong to Paris.”
“I met Jim in France as he was launching La Fonderie, a community for artists. As I was still a student in a Jazz Conservatory, Jim gave me complete carte blanche with a monthly residency in his art gallery, “Le Pavé d’Orsay,” for 3 years. This empowered me to experiment, constantly renewing and refining my art in front of a growing audience. My career wouldn’t be what it is today without his investment.”
“Jim has a deeply passionate heart for the people he leads and cares for. I have been with Jim in Swaziland, where he invested in our leaders and sat in the dirt with the least of these. He advocated passionately for community asset based development and bringing up the youth to be the leaders of tomorrow.”
“It’s rare to come across someone as experienced and knowledgable, yet as down to earth as Jim. I’ve had the pleasure of working with him over the last eight years, during which Jim would come and teach our arts school about community and artistry. Above all I was impressed with his ability to listen to the needs and questions of our students and his ability to lead them to discovery rather than imposing answers.”
“Jim is incredible at developing young men and women into leaders who know how to lead themselves and others well. He develops high-functioning teams with impeccable standards and deep affection for one another. I consider him a genius at connecting with and positively influencing people who are typically hard to reach. He consistently pulls beauty and effectiveness from less than pure raw materials through a perfect blend of relational investment and unrelenting challenge.”
“I have known Jim for over 25 years as a friend and colleague. In Paris, he conceived and implemented an innovative, outside-the-box approach to his work, which he successfully turned over to others. Jim is an intuitive, innovative, and dedicated leader upon whose wisdom I have relied many times.”
“I have known and worked with Jim since the mid 90’s. He is a visionary. Superbly creative. Non-conventional in the best sense. A motivator to those who need confidence in themselves and in their ideas. He is a natural networker and inclusive of diversity. He is highly intelligent and a great thinker. To converse with him is to expand how you view the world.”
“Jim lives and breathes the art of leadership. He inspires and challenges creators to see the unseen, think the unthought, and do the undone.”
“Jim is a master at inspiring growth in the artist and in their art. His roots stretch deep through music, creative thinking, and the holistic development of people. My time with him was hugely formative for me.”