“What do you do for a living?” is a common question we get asked during introductions and casual conversations. But when James Corwin responds, “I am an artist!” the familiar archetype of the starving artist is brought to mind. “Do you make a living from that?” is the next question, and Corwin humbly nods yes.
In truth, Montana-based wildlife artist James Corwin makes a very good living from the sales of his artwork. At age 33, with a net worth of over 10 million dollars, collectors have already purchased millions of dollars worth of his artwork—a feat not easily achieved by a living artist, certainly not by someone his age. Last month, he sold over $100,000 of his original oil paintings, including a $32,000 grizzly bear. After successfully selling a previous bear painting for the same amount less than a year ago, Corwin decided to create another, which ultimately sold in less than 24 hours.
“People are noticing and eager to collect,” says Corwin. Artwork is considered a luxury purchase, but it can be an essential part of an investment portfolio. It is less volatile than the stock market, and one can see tremendous gains during a living artist’s career. For example, had a collector purchased the grizzly bear painting three years ago, it would have been half the price, garnering the collector a 100% ROI today. Corwin aims to increase the value of his artwork over the longevity of his career to earn a positive ROI for his collectors.
A James Corwin – Wildlife Artist – Grizzly Bear painting that sold for $32,000.
It is challenging for an artist to reach such an echelon in their career. Corwin’s secret is reinvesting the profits into his business and building relationships with his collectors. He has two galleries under his brand name, Corwin Galleries, in Hamilton, Montana, and Aspen, Colorado, and plans to open more. Additionally, his work is represented in other galleries throughout the country.
Corwin’s paintings are realistic renderings of wildlife. He uses traditional painting methods to bring the beauty of his travels and his home state of Montana to life on canvas. The emotional dynamism of his paintings, as if infused with life, is what draws people to his work. It’s not just a painting; it’s a connection to the wild, a piece of nature brought into our homes.
With nearly a sold-out body of work, Corwin paints many hours daily. “I am very grateful for the demand my artwork has garnered and my incredible collectors, who anxiously await the next piece.” He says he would like to do an exhibition one day, but the paintings often sell within a day of completion, so getting a display of work together in one place is challenging. He encourages new collectors interested in his work to get on his email list and be notified when a new piece is complete and available for collection.
Corwin is mindful of his market and creates artwork at various prices so any burgeoning collector can afford his paintings. His limited edition prints are a gateway into the world of James Corwin. Many of his original oil paintings are available as limited edition prints in small print runs. They are printed on canvas, with finished edges, and ready to hang. Made locally in Montana, he ships them all over the world. Different finishing options are also available, such as textured and embellished, where Corwin adds a transparent medium over the canvas to create the appearance of brush strokes and adds oil paint to the canvas, so the print looks and feels like an original.
Undoubtedly, James Corwin is an entrepreneur at heart—one might say, a not-so-starving artist. Corwin affirms he is just getting started. The first ten years were spent learning how to paint and how the business works. The next ten years are dedicated to his collectors, with a goal of bringing tremendous value to their investments in his artwork.
