“Born in the UK I now live and work in Los Angeles. I studied fine art at UCA just outside London in the early 90s then moved to Italy for 7 years to immerse myself in classical art. On my return to London I started a successful fashion career that took me around the world, shooting for esteemed clients and magazines for 15 years. In 2013 I decided to return to fine art. This coincided with a move to Los Angeles, where I built a studio practice that broadened my horizons to include sculpture, painting, installation and video works. And this is where I’ve landed and feel comfortable, in that liminal space between art and commerce, recording the body clothed and unclothed using photography, video and 3 dimensional form making. The merging of these disciplines is what inspires me, creating immersive installations that ask questions of who we are and how we interact with each other, how our bodies are perceived in societal roles and how we can move past these structured ideas.” - James Mountford

Topics Discussed In This Episode: 

• How Yoshino and James originally met (00:02:13)
• The beginning stages of James’s artistic journey (00:04:10)
• James starting his photography career in Rome (00:11:18)
• How the role of a professional photographer has changed (00:14:41)
• James starting to paint again after stopping for many years (00:20:16)
• Creating sustainable homes and studios in the Mojave Desert (00:23:14)
• James’s current photography practice (00:31:12)
• James talks about his favorite artists (00:35:25)
• Using social media and how it can impact one’s artwork (00:42:18)
• Photography, nostalgia, and James’s collaborations with NOH/WAVE (00:44:20)
• Finding a balance between personal and professional pursuits as a full time artist (00:48:43)
• Staying athentic to oneself (01:01:42)
• Yoshino’s experience doing The Camino de Santiago (01:06:36) 

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