Today, Jim’s studio work is essentially a synthesis of the two genres:  his paintings combine his passion for landscape with a finely detailed knowledge of natural history. In his recent canvases, he integrates birds into his landscapes, while striving still to maintain the freshness and vigorous brushwork of a plein air study. The chosen bird is usually one that Jim heard or observed while working on location.  But the bird is not simply pasted into the scene for illustrative or narrative purposes; instead, Jim’s goal is to introduce an element of movement, color, or interest to the landscape.  He hopes to evoke the poetic quality of birdwatching: that magical moment when bird, environment, and atmosphere merge into one memorable image.  Kathy Foley, director of the Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, WI has described Jim's recent canvases as being "ethereal, moody, and sensitive all at once."