James Johnston is well known for his work as a musician, with his band Gallon Drunk, as a former member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, as well as for his work with  PJ Harvey. He is also a noted painter. James' paintings are bold and loose, marked by rich and striking use of color. His work has been used for book covers, album artwork, and featured in a variety of arts publications. James' Paintings are also in many collections including the collection of the University of Chicago Center in Paris.