A professional painter since 1978, James Poulson primarily paints landscapes in oil. Poulson’s first professional art show at the Castle Gallery in Billings, Montana featured regional scenery, cozy cabins in snowy winter nights and still lifes. Poulson’s style has evolved to an unparalleled level of quality, yet he returns to refine and expand some of his early subject matter.

Poulson has been influenced by many painters past and present. Early masters who have influenced Poulson are Joseph Henry Sharp (1859-1953) and the Taos Society of Artists, many of the American Tonalist Painters such as George Inness (1825-1894) and the American Impressionists such as Frank Benson (1862-1951) and Willard Metcalf (1858-1925).

Most of his professional study has been with other artists such as Clyde Aspevig, Bob Barlow, Loren Entz, Charles Fritz, Joyce Lee, Taylor Lynde and Tim Shinabarger. Further artistic exchange and encouragement has come from these artists in the way of group critiques of each other’s work. They share not only the love of the land but also their artistic knowledge and expertise with each other.

Christine Mollring, in her two-volume set of books on the Erivan and Helga Haub Family Collection of Western Art, wrote of Poulson, “In 1978, Poulson met Clyde Aspevig, who encouraged him to paint directly from nature just as Robert Lougheed had encouraged Wayne Wolfe to do.” Poulson’s painting “Distant Thunder” is part of the Haub Family Collection and can be found in Volume II, page 136. Poulson’s friendship with Aspevig started in the late 1970’s and today he continues to be inspired by Aspevig’s work.

Poulson’s art is exceedingly influenced by Western landscapes. Of his work he says, “I paint my life and my life is mainly landscapes.” That same artistic passion and exhilaration that stems from his painting can also be found in his guitar playing. Poulson, too modest to say so himself, plays the guitar at a highly sophisticated level. Poulson’s guitar playing is as vast as his landscape art is expansive.

James Poulson continues to paint and play guitar in Montana pleasing audiences with his talents. His artwork can be found in many important private and public collections.