Flesk Publications is delighted to announce the availability of James Bama Sketchbook: A Seventy-Year Journey, Traveling from the far East to the Wild West. The story behind James Bama’s most enduring paintings are revealed in this personal journey.

Close to 230 sketches reveal the thoughts and process of this legendary artist. Travel along this lifelong journey with James Bama, as he chronicles the lives of those that inspired his art. This is the story behind the paintings.

Numerous sketches provide the background for some of his most famous fine art paintings. A large selection of preliminaries show the many ideas recorded for unfinished pieces. This book represents the first time Bama has opened his sketch archives to the public.

Pencil sketches, and color composition drawings from his entire career are included. His preliminaries span works from his early teens, student years, and as a professional illustrator. However, the majority of works feature his fine art career: Native American, western, wildlife, mountain men, and landscape art inspired by the environment of his Wyoming home. Also included are works from his travels to China, Mexico, Tibet and Turkey.

James Bama Sketchbook is a full-color, 8.5 x 11 in., 144-page paperback book with a cover price of $24.95. The introduction is by Spectrum directors Cathy and Arnie Fenner. It is available at your local bookstore, comic book store and direct from Flesk Publications. Full details and sample pages for the book can be found at our website here.

Born in 1926, James Bama has led a long and varied art career. As a youth in New York City, he graduated from the High School of Music and Art. Following his service in the U.S. Army Air Corps, he studied at the Art Students League with such notable instructors as Frank Reilly. Afterwards, he began a 15-year relationship at the Charles E. Cooper Studios. As a freelancer, he produced art for the Baseball Hall of Fame, New York Giants, and U.S. Air Force.

Bama’s second career as a fine artist began in the mid-60s. After a few initial visits to Wyoming, in 1968 he decided to stay for good. During this time he progressed from an illustration career to more personal works, inspired by the environment of his new home. Contemporary Western and Native American subjects dominated much of his time. His peers and fans alike have heralded his realistic approach to the traditional and modern West. This career change resulted in a significant increase in fame and success.

Full details on all of our books and the most recent news can be found on our website, and my blog. Thank you for your support. Feel free to contact me with any questions.


Best,
John

John Fleskes
Flesk Publications
P.O. Box 3174
Santa Cruz, CA 95063
info@fleskpublications.com
www.fleskpublications.com
(408) 206-2346
Monday through Friday
11:00AM to 6:00PM PST